Rule 7 – Section 3 – Article 4 – Eligibility Lost by Going Out of Bounds

No eligible offensive receiver who goes out of bounds and returns in bounds during a down shall touch a legal forward pass while in the field of play or end zones or while airborne until it has been touched by an opponent or official. (A.R. 7-3-4:I-II and IV) [Exception: This does not apply to an originally eligible offensive player who immediately returns inbounds after going out of bounds due to contact by an opponent (A.R. 7-3-4:III)]. If he touches the pass before returning in bounds, it is an incomplete pass (Rule 7-3-7) and not a foul for illegal touching.
PENALTY − Loss of down at the previous spot [S16 and S9: ITP].