restraining line question

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by DownTownTonyBrown

On some of our smaller courts, I'm forever reminding the defense to allow 3 feet (but nothing is permanently marked on the floor). And all of our endlines have at lest three feet, so it is always a spot throw-in on the sidelines where I have to say "Give 'em this much space, and don't reach across."

Being a spot throw-in I haven't really had to worry about extending the line for any distance parallel to the OOB line. I obviously would not allow the offense to step between the thrower and the defender (despite that area being in-bounds) but I have never worried about the pass receiver being in that inter-space and diagonally 10 feet feet away from the spot.

Perhaps I should be? What say the veterans?

Logically, I could establish a restraining line (similar to a permanently marked line), allow the thrower to step up to the restraining line, if he desired, and keep all defenders as well as potential receivers behind the line... but that is difficult to do without a permanently marked line.

What do some of you other officials do?

Tony, for good direction on how the FED wants us to handle these types of throw-ins with limited space but no actual dotted restraining line on the floor, see case book play 7.6.3SitD.