So I've looked and looked and I can't find an answer to this question.
'A player touching or recovering a kick or loose ball who has been out of bounds and returned inbounds during the kick.'
Let's say that during this play, the kick ends, the returner fumbles, and the player who went OOB (foul) recovers the ball. This specific provision only addresses situations where the play status is a kick (not going to list loose ball here because as Elvis pointed out, they're the same thing).
Does that prohibition end as the play status transitions to a running play? Or am I missing a sentence buried somewhere that extends this out to all touching and recovery during the down?
The rule under discussion is a Replay rule. The actual rules are 6-1-11 (Free Kicks) and 6-3-12 (Scrimmage Kicks). Those rules apply to the entire down. So, when a Team A player is out of bounds on his own, if he returns inbounds any time during the remainder of the down, he has committed a foul for an ‘illegal return.’ The replay rule simply gives the RO the authority to include the ‘illegal return’ element in his review, if he is, first, looking to determine if a player touched a loose ball after he returns inbounds.
Note 4 things:
1) His touching of the ball is no different than any other Team A player touching the ball. If it has not yet reached/crossed Team B’s restraining line, or been touched by Team B, on a free kick, the touching is illegal. If it HAS reached/crossed Team B’s restraining line/been touched by Team B, on a free kick, the touching is legal. But that is true for ANY player of Team A, whether they have been OB or not.
2) A free kick play begins when the ball is kicked, and ends when the ball comes into player possession or otherwise becomes dead.
3) A scrimmage kick play begins when the ball is snapped, and ends when the ball comes into player possession or otherwise becomes dead.
4) The illegal return rule applies for the entire down, not just during the kick play portion of the down. That’s why we need understand the difference between a ‘play’ and a ‘down.’ A down may contain several plays. (When the CFO sends out “Play Situations,” they are actually sending out “Down Situations.” But, I’ll never convince them to change their informal terminology.)
The fact that touching of a loose ball, or blocking of an opponent, or tackling of a BC, by a player that has returned illegally is no different than any other player doing those things would make them unremarkable, IMHO, and should not be required ‘triggers’ for the RO to consider the possibility of an illegal return.
But I’m not in charge.