We're Not Measuring!

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Was it grass or turf? If grass, I'd probably go ahead and measure. Field could be off; of course, so could the chains. I had a game once where the 39 and 40 yard line on one side of the field where almost touching each other! We told the V coach and said on anything close we'd measure. If you're on turf, then I'd be inclined to tell them the turf is more accurate than the chains.

Its your decision as to what's reasonable, but if its close, a possible change of possession, and/or a critical point in a varsity game, I'm going to measure. Last night we measured twice when I was 100% sure he was a yard short. Just feel like its easier to show them rather than try to explain why we didn't. Obviously, anything unreasonable we're not going to do it.

The field *could* be off.

That doesn't matter to me -- if we spot it on exactly the 35 for 1st and 10, it has to reach the 45 *on that field* for a first down. Matter of fact, I'll argue that this is a reason to *never* measure in this situation -- otherwise, how can we ever use the field markings? If the ball reaches the 45, we're not measuring if it's an inch beyond -- it's a first down and I'm moving the chains. Are some of you saying you'd measure *that* one too?

Hell, we use the field to measure the chains -- how do I *know* for a fact that the chains are *exactly* 10 yards apart?

By the way, I've never had a coach continue to argue when we've said, "We started on exactly the 35 -- you need the 45 for a first down." Coaches get that, in my experience.

I will bring the chains out (technically, the line judge (not me) makes that decision) when I know we haven't reached the LTG, though -- if the ball's in the side zone and the spot is crucial, I'll use the chains to move the football. We've been through 4 full weeks of varsity, JV, and freshman, and we've had the chains out exactly twice. I'm not allergic to bringing them out, but I'm only bringing them out when I feel it's needed.

(Funny how some chain crews we work with notice how many series start on a 5-yard line and how virtually all of them start on a 1-yard line. That's not accidental, of course.)