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Chain rule

Optimal62

VaPreps Rookie
Nov 15, 2017
393
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At the Galax vs FC game. Galax ran a play that ended up being close enough to a first down to measure. The ball ended up to right of center closest to home sideline. Instead of moving the chains to midfield to measure. The official picked up the ball and carried it to the sideline on the visitor side to measure. I have never seen this in all my years watching football. Is it a legit way to measure
 
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At the Galax vs FC game. Galax ran a play that ended up being close enough to a first down to measure. The ball ended up to right of center closest to home field. Instead of moving the chains to midfield to measure. The official picked up the ball and carried it to the sideline on the visitor side to measure. I have never seen this in all my years watching football. Is it a legit way to measure

Not in any game I work.

I guess there's a possibility the official on that sideline had a soft-side spot and knew where he wanted to put the ball, relative to where he was.... but again, that's a mechanic I would not allow in my game. Evidentally the crew there does things differently.
 
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Not in any game I work.

I guess there's a possibility the official on that sideline had a soft-side spot and knew where he wanted to pit the ball, relative to where he was.... but again, that's a mechanic I would not allow in my game. Evidentally the crew there does things differently.
I found it almost beyond belief that a measurement would be done in this manner. Why would you even want too? All it did was open the officials up to unnecessary criticism.
 
Measurement should take place very close to where the play ended. The covering official may even have the ball placed on his foot.
If short of the line to gain (and outside of the hash marks) the official will grab the chain link at the nose of the ball, walk the link to the hash mark and set the ball down (assuming possession didn't change).
It is possible that you witnessed a crew that hadn't worked together much or at all. Also possible that 1 or more officials were working within their first 5 varsity games ever! Stuff like this didn't become rote memory for me until I had worked double digit varsity games which occurred early in my second season.
 
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