So if A88 was pushed OOB, he would still be an eligible receiver, but because he went out on his own he loses eligibility? Am I reading that correctly?
When a Team A player loses his eligibility during a down by going OB, or by being out of bounds, voluntarily, he cannot regain eligibility until the pass has been touched by a Team B player or an official.
Note that an originally eligible Team A player that is blocked (as defined) out of bounds by an opponent, regains his eligibility if he returns inbounds immediately (as soon as he possibly can). However, if he remains OB longer than he might be able to return inbounds, now he is OB voluntarily, and he has lost his eligibility, until the ball is touched by B/official.
FYI, by philosophy, virtually any contact by an eligible A player with/by a B player is to be considered a “block”.
Despite those that may think otherwise, in the down offered, A88 is not eligible, and, thus, may not block in the back.
FYI, some folks are using the term “re-establish,” but that term only has to do with whether or not a player is inbounds or OB. An OB player certainly is not eligible, but, even if he “re-establishes” himself inbounds, he still may not be eligible, depending on why he was OB.
Finally, from a mechanics standpoint, a hat is to be dropped in the OB area to signify an originally eligible A player OB, whether voluntarily or blocked.
