So, in the NFL, a player returning from OOB has to have both feet back inbounds before he is no longer OOB?

That's a new one on me.

Yes. The defensive player has to re-establish himself inbounds to be the first to touch the ball. Both feet have to be inbounds prior to touching the ball. The same thing applies to a punting team player running to stop a punt from going into the end zone. If he runs into the end zone he has to get both feet out of the end zone before touching the ball.

Under NFHS rules, the player only has to no longer be touching OOB. What's the NCAA rule?

Same as Fed.

To borrow a phrase from John Madden, one knee equals 2 feet. The NFL player need not get 2 feet down in bounds to be declared inbounds because the rule says "A player is inbounds when he first touches both feet or ANY OTHER PART OF HIS BODY, other than his hands, to the ground within the boundary lines."

Ex: DB is OOB, jumps back towards inbounds and lands on his back before catching the ball. That would be an interception.

Same here, for a second I thought Aikman or who ever it was was just making it up.

REPLY: The "two-foot" rule is even applicable in momentum exception situations. On the Monday night game between NE and Buffalo, the opening kickoff was kicked deep toward the near side pylon. The receiver fielded the ball at about the one and carried it into the EZ. He downs it there. The HL drops his bag on the one for momentum, and the ball is placed there--first and ten. The coach asks for review and the R (Tom White) determines that the receiver only got one foot down in the field of play. The second foot hit the goal line. Therefore, it's treated as if the ball was caught was caught in the endzone--a touchback. Ball is relocated to the 20. The HL told me that in virtually every respect the NFL is a "two-foot league."

"2 feet" = "1 knee", "1 shoulder", "1 butt cheek" etc etc etc

[Edited by TXMike on Jan 17th, 2005 at 08:59 AM]