Quote:
Originally Posted by OKREF
Its not OOB until it hits something OOB. When do you stop the clock on a pass that is thrown OOB? When it crosses the line or when it hits something OOB?
I would say all 3 would be touchbacks
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Correct as to
when the ball is out of bounds. But how about as to the out-of-bounds spot as per 4-3-1?
I hope you're not saying the live ball's touching the plane of the goal line supersedes the spotting of the ball via the out-of-bounds spot, because then in Altor's example of the ball's landing 5 yds. OOB 2 yds. beyond the goal line, that'd be a touchback too, provided the plane of the goal line extends indefinitely past the sideline. I'm sure the rules makers didn't intend it to be a touchback in that case, so why would it automatically be a touchback if it touched an object just inches out of bounds?
I think the practical answer in the case of the loose ball's hitting the pylon is that the pylon is supposed to represent a dimensionless point at the intersection of the goal & side lines, even though in reality it occupies space. So touching any part of it is deemed to be touching that point.