Spot after a touchback
 

After a touchback has occurred, do you always spot the ball in the middle of the field on the 20-yd line? Or do you give the team the choice?

Or does the previous play have any effect on where to spot the ball? For example, if the defense recovered a fumble in their endzone that was close to the sideline, then placing it on the hash might be appropriate.

Any thoughts?

What do the rules say? :)

Hint: Rule 4

...and for NCAA the hint is Rule 8 :)

They have a choice, but I always spot it in the middle unless they tell me otherwise.

After a game, I had an observer mention to me, that I didn't give the coach a choice of where to put the ball in play.

How do you handle asking the coach during the game where he would like the ball spotted after a touchback? The most logical thing seems to me would have the wing working that sideline ask the coach.

Does anyone do anything different?

The coach has the choice in that the kicker can tell you when he comes up to set the ball.
Why on earth would you have to communicate with the coach when he is sending out a special representative to do this task (a kicker)? Did this observer generally have helpful comments, or mostly stuff like this (or is this helpful to some of you?)?

Don't ask. They're not expecting it, you're not required to do it, and if they have a preference they'll bring it to you.

I think that I am confused. Anything can happen, but why would the coach send his kicker onto the field after a touchback that just put his team on offense?

That sounds confusing. Maybe JJ is referring to the try where Team A also gets to choose the spot between the inbounds line.

I usually spot in the middle of the field, yet give the team with the option an opportunity to amend this location. For NFHS they have until the RFP to select the spot.

The ball is spotted in the middle unless the captain or coach tell us otherwise.

We don't go chasing after the team to ask them. I give them until the RFP to have us move the football.

If your assignor wants it, fine, but thank goodness I don't need to worry about that.

Amen to that. I've only had a handful of instances in 15+ years where the coach or QB wanted the ball to one side or the other. In those cases, it's usually a run dominant team who has studs on one side of the line and will run the ball that direction...even if they're on the short side of the field.

We tell the staffs before each game that unless otherwise informed, the ball will be placed at the mid point between the hashes on the approporiate yardline after all touchdowns and touchbacks.

Never had a problem with that.... had plenty of requests to place it elsewhere with no problem as well.