When Is a Runner Down?

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Mike L

NCAA rule 4.1.3.b - A live ball becomes dead when any part of the ball carrier's body, except hand or foot, touches the ground.

So, unless you choose to consider another player as "the ground", touching a player laying on the ground with any body part does not make the ball carrier down.

I don't know much about NFL rules, but I'd bet somewhere in there is the about the same wording.

Right. Only in Rugby Union (not sure about Rugby League) did they change the tackle rule to include cases of laying on top of another player on the ground, as a type of "electricity" or "contagion".