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College Football/question LOU vs RUT

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Expert: - 11/10/2006


Question
Rutgers receiver goes 70 plus yards and the UL player catches up and strips the receiver of the ball around the 10 yardline.  The strip was about 3 yards from sideline.  The momentun of the receiver carrys him towards the sideline while falling without the ball.  The receive puts his right hand out to stop from sliding and to brace himself to stop and jump on the loose ball.  Problem is his right hand was completely out of bounds on the ground when he was bracing himself.  Question is this:  Can he be the first person to touch the ball (which he was and recovered) after being out of bounds?  If not, what is the penalty? Nobody made a stink out of this on ESPN last night during the game even after the showed the replay.  Please help me understand the ruling.  

Answer
There is no foul.  The ball is declared dead by rule when any out of bounds players touches the ball; or rather the ball is deemed dead and out of bounds when it touches anything out of bounds.   In this play the player is not out of bounds when he first touches and recovers the ball.  If he were then the clock would stop.

During the running play you describe there is no restriction for a player going OB then immediately returning in bounds to recover a loose ball.

So: YES the player may touch the ball.


There are restictions that prohibit players from returning in bounds and participating in a play that is a "Kick" play.  On pass plays offesive players may not go out of Bounds and be the 1st to touch a legal forward pass.

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