Expert: Vic Winnek - 7/15/2008

Question
If a receiver is in the air, catches and controls the football, then lands with one foot in, one foot out, and both feet landing simultaneously, is he in or out?

Answer
Bob
Thanks for the question.  
Quick answer - it is an incomplete pass per rules 2-2-7-c,e & 7-3-7.

Generally as you know NCAA rules only require 1 foot in bounds first, unlike the NFL that requires 2 feet in bounds to complete a catch.  

To fully answer your question you must understand the nomenclature or terminology as used by rule.  Please understand that a catch is a term of art; it is an act of firmly establishing "player possession" of a live ball in flight.  Thus for a catch to occur the player must firmly hold or control the ball while contacting the ground inbounds.

So in your question as presented, the airborne receiver is in the air not touching the ground so but is controlling the ball. This is NOT possession or a catch.  It is a loose ball controlled by an air born receiver.  Thus the player "receives the ball" doesn't catch it while in the air.  The act of catching requires multiple elements= the player must firmly control the ball, be grounded inbounds.

The next part of your question states that both feet land simultaneously to the ground with one foot inbounds and one foot out of bounds.  Understand that it is an incomplete pass when a player leaves his feet and receives the pass but first lands on or outside a boundary line, unless his progress has been stopped in the field of play or end zone.  In this question one foot is out of bound and the other foot is in bounds simultaneously, thus we consider that out of bounds.  Because both feet come to the ground at the same time and one foot id OB, the receiver is considered OB thus no catch, incomplete.

The following are the rules that apply to understanding your question as to whether it is a catch or no catch.

2008 NCAA Football Rules

Rule 2 Section 2
ARTICLE 5. “In possession’’ is an abbreviation meaning the holding or
controlling of a live ball or a ball to be free-kicked.

a. A player “gains possession’’ when he is firmly holding or controlling the ball while contacting the ground inbounds.

b. A team is “in possession’’ when one of its players is “in possession’’ or attempting a punt, drop kick or place kick; while a forward pass thrown by one of its players is in flight; or one of its players was last in possession during a loose ball.

Meaning of the Term: Belongs To
ARTICLE 6. “Belongs to,’’ as contrasted with “in possession,’’ denotes temporary custody of a dead ball. Legality of such custody is immaterial because the ball must next be put in play in accordance with rules governing the existing situation.

Meaning of the Terms: Catch, Interception, Recovery
ARTICLE 7. A catch is an act of firmly establishing player possession of a live ball in flight.

a. A catch of an opponent’s fumble or pass is an interception.

b. Securing player possession of a live ball after it strikes the ground is “recovering it.’’

c. To catch, intercept or recover a ball, a player who leaves his feet to make a catch, interception or recovery must have the ball firmly in his possession when he first returns to the ground inbounds with any part of his body or is so held that the dead-ball provisions of Rule 4-1-3-p apply (A.R. 2-2-7-I-V and A.R. 7-3-6-IV).

1. If one foot first lands inbounds and the receiver has possession
and control of the ball, it is a catch or interception even though a
subsequent step or fall takes the receiver out of bounds.

2. Loss of ball simultaneous to returning to the ground is not a catch, interception or recovery.

d. A catch by any kneeling or prone inbounds player is a completion or interception (Rules 7-3-1 and 2 and 7-3-6 and 7).

e. When in question, the catch, recovery or interception is not completed.

Meaning of the Term: Simultaneous Catch or Recovery
ARTICLE 8. A simultaneous catch or recovery is a catch or recovery in
which there is joint possession of a live ball by opposing players inbounds (A.R. 7-3-6-II and III).

Rule 7-3-6 & 7-3-7 define completed and incomplete passes:

Completed Pass
ARTICLE 6. Any forward pass is completed when caught by a player of the passing team who is inbounds, and the ball continues in play unless completed in the opponent’s end zone or the pass has been caught simultaneously by opposing players. If a forward pass is caught simultaneously by opposing players inbounds, the ball becomes dead and belongs to the passing team (Rule 2-2-7) (A.R. 2-2-7-III and A.R. 7-3-6-I-IX).

INCOMPLETE PASS
ARTICLE 7. a. Any forward pass is incomplete if the ball is out of bounds by rule or if it touches the ground when not firmly controlled by a player. It also is incomplete when a player leaves his feet and receives the pass but first lands on or outside a boundary line, unless his progress has been stopped in the field of play or end zone (Rule 4-1-3-p) (A.R. 2-2-7-III and A.R. 7-3-7-I).

b. When a legal forward pass is incomplete, the ball belongs to the passing team at the previous spot.

c. When an illegal forward pass is incomplete, the ball belongs to the passing team at the spot of the pass (Exception: If the offended team declines the penalty for an illegal pass thrown from the end zone, the ball shall next be put in play at the previous spot.) (A.R. 7-3-7-II-IV).

I hope this is helpful in understand the answer.
Best of luck,

Victor Winnek
NCAA Football Official