its whoever touches it last except if it’s hit by their foot. doesn’t have to be intentionally directed out of bounds,
Yes I agree and that waas always my understanding.
Contact below the knee with the ball has to be intentional to be ruled a kick… so the fumble can definitely touch the foot and go out of bounds winning possession.
No punter intentionally tries to kick a ball out of bounds which gives the opposing team good field position, therefore I feel penalizing for a kick which lands between the 20 yd lines and out of bounds is a needless punishing action after already an already self punishing distance of a kick. Surely, the rule wasn’t instilled to prevent a delay of game.
The reason they brought the rule in was that punters did start to kick it OB deliberately in order to avoid the big return by guys like Dorsey. Forty yard punt with no return and no return risk was considered a good result. It was boring to watch kick after kick sailing OB and it was the beginning of the end of the CFL return game. Not a good look for our brand.