For Linesmen only, and those who want to be like us.....

[buckrog64]

Hardly earth-shattering material here but I'd like to know preferences on where to put the clip when the chains are set. I thought I was told back edge of the line running across the field, furthest from the line to gain. That way, you use as much chain as possible when measuring. In other words,
1st and 10 on the 22. Line to gain is the 32. The clip would be on the back side of the 25 as opposed to the 30 yard line.

[Stripe]

You got it.

[Warrenkicker]

The further back the clip is the less affect there will be if you don't line up the chains exactly straight when you stretch them.

[stevesmith]

Originally Posted by buckrog64

Hardly earth-shattering material here but I'd like to know preferences on where to put the clip when the chains are set. I thought I was told back edge of the line running across the field, furthest from the line to gain. That way, you use as much chain as possible when measuring. In other words,
1st and 10 on the 22. Line to gain is the 32. The clip would be on the back side of the 25 as opposed to the 30 yard line.

Unless there is logo at midfield with no line running through it.

[Jim D]

Also unless there is a yard or less to work with - in other words, the ball is at the 39 1/2 (and let's not go into the spotting-it-at-a-yard-line arguement here), it's better to go out to the 45 for the clip than try and squeeze it in at the 40.

[Theisey]

As you have been told: at the back edge of the line furthest from the line to gain.
All the time every time. It's SOP at all levels of the game if you can be sure your chain crew does it as you have instructed them too. Remind them a couple times to be sure.

[Sonofanump]

...and start all new series on a yard line. No sense starting at the 39 1/2. Put it on the 39 or 40.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by buckrog64

Hardly earth-shattering material here but I'd like to know preferences on where to put the clip when the chains are set. I thought I was told back edge of the line running across the field, furthest from the line to gain. That way, you use as much chain as possible when measuring. In other words,
1st and 10 on the 22. Line to gain is the 32. The clip would be on the back side of the 25 as opposed to the 30 yard line.

This is how we do it in Canada. The phrase we use is "back of the back line".

Often a team logo is at midfield and the line going through said logo is broken. In this case, we use the other line - the back of the front line.

[Opie]

Though I'm from the US of A, I'm with my Canadian brother. Back of the back line.