starting on a yard line

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Originally Posted by RichMSN

Yup. We do it all the time. Not only on COP situations, but on first downs when we can get away with it, too, on well-marked fields.

This philosophy may have cost Auburn the game against LSU. The LJ marked a spot on the line when it was quite obvious he was down at least a foot or more short of the line. It was a third down play, which after measurement resulted in a first down. More importantly, the clock would have continued to run. LSU scored with 0:01 time remaining.

Fourth and inches VS first and 10 may change the play calling, the defense, the time outs remaining – any number of things. But we will never know. It didn’t make it easier on the HL, he still had to bring the chains from across the field to measure to the nose of the ball!

Was it philosophy or just a bad spot? What does an inch or two matter – “when we can get away with it”?