1st and goal from the 1.....

[Suudy]

Same here. Wings never start on the field, even on a tight formation with an expected crash play up the middle.

It is too easy for the play to go wide (TE running an out, bootleg, a run bounces outside). It is far worse to get caught scrambling to get out of the way than to delay calling a TD up the middle.

[HLin NC]

I was the R. I instructed my L to get closer to players on this situation.

What mechanics manual do you use? Whatever that says is what they should do, your position as R should not supercede that. Only in an obvious victory formation would I ever squeeze in. Wider is better, you can observe more action around the play. A good U will signal the wings if the ball is across anyway.

By the local mechanic we utilize, it sounds as if your HL would have been in about the same place I would have been in that situation. For most normal plays, our wings start on the sideline then adjust to the circumstances.
A goal line or close 3rd/4th down play then we crash in.
If the ball is on my hash, I am on my sideline, wide receiver or no.

Even old standard mechanics wanted the wings at least 9 yards off the widest receivers. On goal line offenses, most teams I see are pushing the receivers out wide to spread the defense, even if they are going to run up the gut.

[JasonTX]

You can call a touchdown from the track. Stay off the field and then crash in when the play is over. With offenses being un-predictable, being on the field puts you in a potential play disrupting position. Or worse, the play comes your way and you have to retreat. When you are retreating, you aren't officiating.

[KevinP]

Thanks for the advice. I happened to be R that night when our regular R was unavailable and I usually am one of the linesman. Good Stuff .