Out of bounds spot...

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by OverAndBack

It's not where the runner steps out, it's where the ball is when the runner steps out, correct?

Actually the above applies only when the runner but not the ball goes out of bounds. For instance, if a player is carrying the ball in his left hand (which would usually be bad form in this case) and his right foot steps on the sideline, the ball is dead at its foremost point (which happens to be in bounds) when the runner stepped out of bounds. The ball is technically out of bounds by virtue of being in contact with a person who is touching the ground on or outside the sideline, but the spot where it's dead is in bounds.

OTOH, if a runner is running at an angle to the sideline and is off the ground and lands out of bounds, the dead ball spot is where the ball crossed the plane of the sideline. However, that doesn't stop a touchdown from occurring first.

Robert