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Lets say you have the following:
A1 is running with ball near the sideline and both feet are still in-bounds. When A1 reaches the opponents 2 yard line, he jumps for the goaline and lands two yards deep into the endzone, but out of bouands ( no part of the runner landed in bounds). Before A1 reached the opponents 2 yard line, the ball was tucked under his outside arm already over the sideline (Out of Bounds). The runner made no attempt to tuck the ball inside the pylon when he leaped for the endzone.
I believe this could be a touchdown because the runner never went Out of Bounds until he landed two yards deep into the endzone. Since an airborne player is not Out of Bounds until he touches out of bounds, I believe the extended goaline principle should apply.
The rule book states:
ART. 3 . . . The goal line is the vertical plane which separates the field of play from the end zone. When related to a live ball in a runner's possession (touching inbounds) while the ball is over the out-of-bounds area, the goal line includes the extension beyond the sidelines. A team's own goal line is the one it is defending.
I would think that "touching inbounds" would still apply until A1 was Out of Bounds by rule.
If the situtation I described is not a TD, then where would you spot the football? At the 1 inch line? Well, the runner never went out of bounds there.
This is a very interesting topic.
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