Kickoff question

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

For argument's sake, why does this phrase appear in the case play?

"...when he reaches through the plane of the sideline."

He has one foot inbounds and one foot OOB, which means the player is OOB. Why does it matter whether he touches the ball on the inbounds side of the sideline plane or reaches through the plane of the sideline and touches the ball?

You're right: it doesn't matter to the ruling. But I think they added that phrase for specificity in the case.

It might have made more sense to make the case go the other direction: even if the ball is still over the field of play, if the player who touches the kick is OOB, then it's a kick OOB and a foul.