Measurement

[HL Clippenchain]

I was wondering if any other crews get a new ball on a measurement that is short and outside the hashmarks? The new ball is then placed at the hash by marking with the chain.

Or does your crew just take the ball that was used on the previous play and have the white hat carry it over in one hand and the mark on the chain with the other hand?

Thanks for the help and advice.
HLC

[JugglingReferee]

For games where we have multiple game balls, yes we do. We leave the ball used to do the measurement on the ground, and the new ball is used for the next play. It's rare that we'll have a ball boy in most HS games, though.

So in most games, yes, the WH will carry the ball over wit the chain for the next down placement.

In the university games that I do, naturally we have multiple game balls and we follow the full procedure.

[MJT]

Same as JR. HS usually one ball used per team, so carry it over, but in my college games we leave the one and have a new one placed.

[Warrenkicker]

I only do high school and we take the original ball from its spot outside the inbounds lines.

But we also have two game balls for each team. That way we can change out balls if they get wet or muddy. We can also get another ball if we get a deep pass that goes OOB and get back to the game more quickly. The biggest time saver is on field goals and trys. The ball boys set one ball right behind the goal post and go to catch the other ball. We take the second while they chase the kicked ball.

[bisonlj]

We usually have at least 3 or 4 balls for each team (some more some less). Each team also provides a ball boy and some are better than others. Most are 12-14 year old boys so their focus can tend to wander. A good ball boy sure helps with the flow of the game though. We swap balls when it makes sense...wet/muddy, long incomplete pass, field goal/extra point. We usually carry the ball in on measurements but it doesn't become an issue often. We use the mechanic of starting each new series on a hash (if possible) so we know if the line to gain was reached if the ball reached a hash. This has greatly reduced the number of measurements we have. When we get a field without hashes (only once this year), we know we are going to have some measurements that night.

[Theisey]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

We usually have at least 3 or 4 balls for each team (some more some less). Each team also provides a ball boy and some are better than others. Most are 12-14 year old boys so their focus can tend to wander. A good ball boy sure helps with the flow of the game though. We swap balls when it makes sense...wet/muddy, long incomplete pass, field goal/extra point. We usually carry the ball in on measurements but it doesn't become an issue often. We use the mechanic of starting each new series on a hash (if possible) so we know if the line to gain was reached if the ball reached a hash. This has greatly reduced the number of measurements we have. When we get a field without hashes (only once this year), we know we are going to have some measurements that night.

"HASH" marks are only placed on every 5 yardline. So what you do is to spot the ball on one of the yardline markers if present. I think that is fine but only on a change of possession should this be done. That's my opinion and the opinion of many others.

We've had eight games so far and only one measurement and is with leaving the ball where it lies after every first down. It's not a big deal evenon the poorest of markings on the field.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by Theisey

"HASH" marks are only placed on every 5 yardline. So what you do is to spot the ball on one of the yardline markers if present. I think that is fine but only on a change of possession should this be done. That's my opinion and the opinion of many others.

We've had eight games so far and only one measurement and is with leaving the ball where it lies after every first down. It's not a big deal evenon the poorest of markings on the field.

It's also the opinion of every major college conference and NFL so I'm going to go with it. That's where we learned the mechanic.

It's only a difference of a half yard at the beginning of the series. The times you don't do it is when the offense barely picks up a first down or if they are inside the 10. Yes...I mean the yardline markers. I think everyone understood what I meant.

[Theisey]

Do what you want, but I doubt its the opinion of every college conference in the great USA. I know of several that do not do this on a regular basis. I could care less what the NFL does. They are two levels of separation from high school ball. But as I just said, do what your area tells you, right wrong or indifferent.

As far as the hash mark correction goes, I had to bring it up as I don't know for sure you are a new official or an official at the end of your career, but you were using incorrect statements of definitions. I expect to be corrected if I improperly use a definition.

[SethPDX]

Originally Posted by Theisey

As far as the hash mark correction goes, I had to bring it up as I don't know for sure you are a new official or an official at the end of your career, but you were using incorrect statements of definitions. I expect to be corrected if I improperly use a definition.

What's a hash mark?
I only do baseball/softball, but I'm pretty sure they're called inbound lines.

[tjones1]

Originally Posted by SethPDX

What's a hash mark?
I only do baseball/softball, but I'm pretty sure they're called inbound lines.

http://www.goallineathletics.com/hsFieldLayout.html

[SethPDX]

Reeeaaaallly. I didn't know the book actually called them that. Thanks.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by tjones1

http://www.goallineathletics.com/hsFieldLayout.html

So I guess I was using the right terminology. When we walk on the field, one of our first comments is "Great...they have hash marks on the field."

Everyone I've talked to that works in major college football (and small college for that matter) uses the hash mark technique. Many of the HS crews in our area are using it now as well since we attend clinics put on my these officials. I was white hat at a JV game yesterday and it saved us on 3 or 4 measurements.

Use whatever mechanic you want but I know we've become much more efficient since implementing this a couple years ago. Once we explain it to the coaches they are impressed by our little "trick".

[Theisey]

Originally Posted by SethPDX

What's a hash mark?
I only do baseball/softball, but I'm pretty sure they're called inbound lines.

Correct, hash=inbounds lines

right from rule 1:

e. Inbounds lines “a series of hash marks” should be 24 inches in length and 4 inches in width and shall be located 53 feet, 4 inches from and parallel with each sideline dividing the field of play longitudinally in thirds. The inbounds lines shall be marked so that each 5-yard line bisects the hash mark.
NOTES:
1. Game administration may place on the field of play, at the inbounds lines, yardline extensions that should be 24 inches in length and 4 inches in width.
...

I underlined the word parallel.
What BisonBJ is referring to are what the rule calss "yardline extensions"
The two markings are not the same.

[Ed Hickland]

Originally Posted by HL Clippenchain

I was wondering if any other crews get a new ball on a measurement that is short and outside the hashmarks? The new ball is then placed at the hash by marking with the chain.

Or does your crew just take the ball that was used on the previous play and have the white hat carry it over in one hand and the mark on the chain with the other hand?

Thanks for the help and advice.
HLC

For NFHS rules the ball cannot, by rule, be substituted. You can only replace a ball at the start of a series.

[BulldogMcC]

Originally Posted by Ed Hickland

For NFHS rules the ball cannot, by rule, be substituted. You can only replace a ball at the start of a series.

They cannot request a change, but we change the ball anytime it becomes dead outside the numbers(nine yard marks) with a ball of the same composition. It really speeds up game administration when the wing is spotting the ball and the BJ is getting a new ball from the side line.