American Football NCAA Approved Ruling 7-3-4

I. Eligible A88 voluntarily goes out of bounds, returns inbounds, and is the first player to touch the legal forward pass. This touching by A88 occurs in Team B’s end zone. RULING: Illegal touching. Penalty Loss of down at the previous spot.

II. Eligible A88 voluntarily goes out of bounds during a down in which a legal forward pass is thrown. He returns to the field of play inbounds but does not touch the ball and is held by an opponent before the ball is touched by any player. RULING: Not pass interference—A88 is not eligible to catch a legal forward pass. Penalty—Ten yards from the previous spot and automatic first down.

III. Wide receiver A88 is blocked out of bounds by B1 and then runs 20 yards before returning inbounds to the field of play. A88 catches a legal pass in Team B’s end zone. RULING: Foul for illegal touching due to A88’s failure to return inbounds immediately. Penalty—Loss of down at the previous spot.

IV. Eligible receiver A44 is running a pass pattern near the sideline. As a legal forward pass comes toward him, he accidentally steps on the sideline, leaps, muffs the pass into the air while airborne, returns to the ground inbounds, grabs the ball and lands on his knees inbounds with the ball firmly in his possession. RULING: Incomplete pass. A44 first touched the ball while airborne and thus out of bounds since he had not established inbounds. (Rule 2-27-15)