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My crew tries to start on a hash mark when practical. Those times include long gains where a first down is clearly achieved, following kicks and after a change of possession. Another thing we try to avoid it placing the ball between the 10 and 11 yard line, which would allow the offense a chance to make a first down inside of the 1 yard line.
When you factor in the inexact science of judging forward progress and then moving the ball to the inbound marks or trying to have the umpire place the ball in line with the wing official's spot when a run ends in the middle of the field a couple of inches one way or the other isn't significant.
Over the course of a game the inches gained or lost for any given team tend to balance out. Excluding goal line situations, it's not very often that A is stopped just short of the goal line.
When you look at the big picture this practice helps the game run smoother. It's easier on the chain crews and is a huge advantage when in determining if a measurement is needed.
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