Spotting the ball, close to line-to-gain

[InsideTheStripe]

Originally Posted by LDUB

Everyone on here as well as all NFL officials and all NCAA FBS I have ever seen do it the way I described. Might be possible that they know what is best.

You've never seen an NFL or NCAA official square off a spot?

Seeing the spot where the ball became dead and running straight to it (regardless of your position on the field) is a terrible mechanic.

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by InsideTheStripe

You've never seen an NFL or NCAA official square off a spot?

Seeing the spot where the ball became dead and running straight to it (regardless of your position on the field) is a terrible mechanic.

Squaring off has nothing to do with anything, one can do that and still run to the spot.

A more important question would be have you ever seen an NFL or NCAA official bring the ball into the side zone for a measurement after it became dead between the inbounds lines?

[InsideTheStripe]

Originally Posted by LDUB

Squaring off has nothing to do with anything, one can do that and still run to the spot.

It did when responding to your post "as written".

Outside the 5 (going in/out), I've never seen an NFL or NCAA spot the ball inside the hashes. I wasn't advocating bringing the ball to the sideline for spots on plays that end inside the hashes.

I was simply pointing out that no one runs completely straight. You lose more precision the further you run. That doesn't mean you should never come in a "sell" a spot.

[RadioBlue]

Originally Posted by InsideTheStripe

It did when responding to your post "as written".

Outside the 5 (going in/out), I've never seen an NFL or NCAA spot the ball inside the hashes. I wasn't advocating bringing the ball to the sideline for spots on plays that end inside the hashes.

I was simply pointing out that no one runs completely straight. You lose more precision the further you run. That doesn't mean you should never come in a "sell" a spot.

A wing official is not trying to run in a straight line. They're running to the "blade of grass" where they saw the ball become dead.

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by InsideTheStripe

It did when responding to your post "as written".

No, I said the official runs to the spot. You changed that to "running straight to it (regardless of your position on the field)."

Originally Posted by InsideTheStripe

I was simply pointing out that no one runs completely straight. You lose more precision the further you run.

The official running to where he saw the ball become dead. He is not trying to spot the ball on the sideline and run straight in.

[With_Two_Flakes]

A wing official will square off to every spot he is getting. To be pedantic - every spot unless the spot is actually on the sideline or very near to it.

The key point of this thread is about:-
a) on routine plays he comes in just a few steps and doesn't come too far inbounds.
b) if there is trouble at the pile, then he may come in further to make his presence felt.
c) on spots close to a 1st down, he comes all the way in and is handed the ball so he can put it exactly where he wants it.

But on all of these occasions, his movement is done by a "squaring off" motion. Getting into the squaring off habit keeps the accuracy.

[LDUB]

I saw a NFL game today where the wing official was well in to the opposite side zone when marking the spot.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by LDUB

I saw a NFL game today where the wing official was well in to the opposite side zone when marking the spot.

I love cross-field mechanics. With a pile up in a sidezone, the far wing is the best one to get a spot.