FKOB, IP, or nothing?

[HLinNC]

K free kicks from the K40 yard line.  The ball lands at the R13 yard line and bounces towards R's sideline where R12 attempts to field it at the R10 yl.
As he touches the ball, his left foot lands out of bounds at the intersection of the R10 yl and the sideline.  R12 muffs the ball and it lands back in the field of play at the R11 yl.  The U stops the clock and drops his flag at the R10 yl. and sideline for a free kick out of bounds foul.

1) The kick was grounded in the field of play.
2) R12's stepping out of bounds did not appear to be intentional.
2) The ball may or may not have broke the sideline plane when R12 touched it.  It is difficult to tell on video.

[NVFOA_Ump]

I'm good with the call by the U.

[bama_stripes]

This is a tough judgment.  If the kick was never going to go OOB except for the muff, I’ve got nothing.  If there was any possibility it was going OOB without the muff, then foul.  JMHO

[ncwingman]

As described, I'd agree with the FKOB call. If the ball was going out of bounds on its own, and R did not intentionally step out of bounds, then you're going to find a lot of understanding of the call (although, K's coach may not initially agree...)

However, what would people think of a tweak to the rule that if R touching the ball causes the ball to become dead out of bounds, then it is treated the same as if R had touched the ball prior to it going out of bounds?

The net result of this is eliminating the IP foul for intentionally going out of bounds on a free kick (and our need to rule "intentional" and whether the ball would have crossed the sideline plane, etc.). If R wants to let the ball go out of bounds, then the need to let it go out of bounds. If R wants to play the ball in the field of play, then they can take the results of their actions.

Edit -- I don't have the full wording of that suggestion correct. The kick may need to be grounded first, so an airborne kick that crosses the sideline plane before being touched by R would still be a free kick out of bounds.

[Ralph Damren]

See current post of topic from a bygone era......