Player going OB

[newref1]

Heres one I am wondering about. A runner fumbles near the sideline. He stumbles and runs out of bounds without the ball. The ball stays inbounds and the runner comes back inbounds and picks ups the ball and starts to run again. I'm sure if he's knocked out of bounds he can come back in and recover the ball. But what if he goes out on his own. This would be for high school and I was wondering about college too.

Thank you

[w_sohl]

If pushed out he has to return immediately

If he goes out on his own he is done for the play, if he participate it is illegal participation.

I believe both codes agree.

[jjrye22]

Interesting question, but I believe for NCAA the pushed out and return vs. stays out rule is for elligiblity on a kick/pass.
In this case it is a running play, and I beleive there is no restriction on the player.
As long has he was fully inbounds before he touched the ball. If he was still on the line the ball would obviously become dead.

[w_sohl]

Originally Posted by jjrye22

Interesting question, but I believe for NCAA the pushed out and return vs. stays out rule is for elligiblity on a kick/pass.
In this case it is a running play, and I beleive there is no restriction on the player.
As long has he was fully inbounds before he touched the ball. If he was still on the line the ball would obviously become dead.

I don't believe you are correct. Someone PLEASE correct me if I am wrong and he is right. Pretty sure HS and NCAA agree...

[OverAndBack]

I try not to get my head too clouded with NCAA and NFL rules during our season because it confuses me.

I know in NFHS, he's done if he goes out. He can't come back in and participate. And picking up the ball, that there is participating for sure.

[Jim D]

Originally Posted by OverAndBack

I try not to get my head too clouded with NCAA and NFL rules during our season because it confuses me.

I know in NFHS, he's done if he goes out. He can't come back in and participate. And picking up the ball, that there is participating for sure.

Yes but remember that a player can be both in bounds and out of bounds at the same time. For example, in scrambling for a ball, a player is lying on the ground and his legs are out of bounds and the rest of his body is inbounds. He is out of bounds to the point where if he touches the ball, it also becomes out of bounds, but he is inbounds to the point that he can legally participate and touch the ball.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by newref1

Heres one I am wondering about. A runner fumbles near the sideline. He stumbles and runs out of bounds without the ball. The ball stays inbounds and the runner comes back inbounds and picks ups the ball and starts to run again. I'm sure if he's knocked out of bounds he can come back in and recover the ball. But what if he goes out on his own. This would be for high school and I was wondering about college too.

CANADIAN RULING:

A player may legally immediately come back into play if s/he was OB for 1 of 4 reasons:

1. blocked OB
2. tried to block someone, missed, and subsequently went OB as a result of the block attempt
3. field conditions (slippery field due to wetness, par example)
4. stepped OB to field a kick

As far as I can tell, the only element that may apply to your situation, as you described, is #3. That would be a judgment call, and is why we're paid.