Restablishing in-bounds position

[maven]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Here's what's insane about this play... we talked about this a few months back.

In both plays, the runner is not forced out of bounds, and goes out on his own ... or was forced out but stays out of bounds longer than the official deems necessary and did not return "immediately". In both plays, the ball rolls forward 20 yards and is recovered by the runner.

A) The runner steps in bounds just prior to recovering the ball.
B) The runner never steps in bounds and is still contacting out of bounds when he recovers the ball.

In A) IP and a 15 yard penalty.
In B) No IP.

This result is very odd to me.

If the runner intentionally goes out of bounds and, as in your play (B), intentionally contacts the ball while he's OOB, that is IP under 9-6-2b.

I believe this rule changed in 2011.