What happens if a runner touches an official who is out of bounds and remains inbounds?

When a runner touches an official who is out of bounds but remains inbounds, the ball is still live. This is because the status of the official does not affect the play unless the ball is in their vicinity and play is stopped for a specific rule violation related to that situation. As long as the runner maintains inbounds status and the ball has not been declared dead for other reasons, the play continues. Runners are encouraged to avoid officials, but touching them does not inherently result in a dead ball unless it involves a specific infraction. This reflects the NFHS rules, which prioritize the continuity of play unless a significant violation occurs.