Touching of free kicked ball by OB players

[ElvisLives]

Following a discussion elsewhere, I just want to make sure those working NCAA rules understand that a ball that is loose from a free kick that is touched by an out of bounds player of EITHER team before it is touched by an inbounds players of Team B, is dead, and this is a foul by Team A for an illegal Kick Out of Bounds. Period.
It is not illegal for players of either team to go, or be, out of bounds.
It is a foul for an Illegal Return when a player of Team A returns inbounds (as defined) after having been out of bounds voluntarily during the kick play portion of the down.
But, if a player of Team B were to step out of bounds as a free kicked ball is flying/bouncing/rolling near a sideline, and then (while out of bounds) touch the ball, that’s a KOB against Team A, like it or not, fair or not. If Team A doesn’t want that to be a foul, then don’t kick it so close to the sideline.
If always inbounds A99 is the first to touch the ball (the game clock starts), and then it is touched by anything out of bounds (including a player of either team, or an official), the ball is dead, and this is still a KOB foul (not touched by Team B).

[ElvisLives]

And to follow up on a related issue, a 'player' (as defined) who is out of bounds (as defined) is NOT prohibited from contacting any player inbounds, as long as the contact itself it otherwise legal. Such contact does not change anything about the status of the player he contacts. If he touches a ball in player possession, the status of the ball remains unchanged. However, if he touches a loose ball, the ball is dead.

So, when a team makes a legal kick, a player of that team who goes OB during the kick play portion of the down (voluntarily or involuntarily) certainly may reach inbounds and contact an opponent (like, tackle the BC). Even if an OB player of the kicking team returns inbounds during the kick play portion of a down, he is not prohibited from contacting any other player, or the ball (loose or in possession). Yes, if he was OB voluntarily during a legal kick play portion of a down, and then returns inbounds any time during the remainder of the down, he has committed a foul for an Illegal Return inbounds. But, he may still contact opponents or the ball.