Is a player is down if the ball in his hand touches the ground?

[ravensute]

I can’t find a definitive answer and heard both at the game – anyone know the specific rule that addresses whether a non-fumbled ball touching the ground is a dead ball?

Whittingham seemed to be yelling at the refs after the Stanford QB righted himself by touching the ball to the ground, and I always thought that ended the play in football, but I can’t find the actual rule that says that – so I’m probably wrong. 

[HoosierUte]

my gut reaction is not down. But we are both probably wrong somehow. still wrapping my head around the hand touching the pylon call from last week.

[ProudUte]

My understanding of the rule is that a player is NOT down if the ball alone touches the ground.  

[tysnowboarder88]

He is not down. His elbow or forearm would have had to touch the ground with him holding onto the ball for him to be down.

[EagleMountainUte]

Hand isn’t down.  But ball seems like it should be but that is just a fumble pickup essentially if no other part of the body is down. 

[PNW Ute]

Player isn’t down if the ball touches the ground. If that were the case, no one could ever return a fumble, as soon as they grabbed the ball on the ground, they would be down.

There is nothing in the rules about a player being down or not if the ball touches the ground. Player is only down if a part of their body other than hand or foot touches the ground. Ball is not part of their body.