Do they spot the ball on the nearest one yard hash mark?
NO
The officials spot it where they determine the tip of the ball was located at the instant the ball carrier is considered to be "down". Hence, it is highly subjective.
Okay
I thought I noticed it always on the hash mark (NFL) but then I noticed a couple of plays where it was in the middle. It seems like the first down marker is always on an even yard.
Okay
> I thought I noticed it always on the hash mark (NFL) but then I noticed a couple of plays where it was in the middle. It seems like the first down marker is always on an even yard.
When the play ends, left or right of the hash-mark, the ball is moved to the nearest hash-mark. If the play ends between the hash-marks, the ball is placed where the play ended.
If the play ends close to a first down; the ball is placed where the play ended and the chains are brought in for a measurement and the ball is moved to the hash-mark, using the chain as ameasuring tool to place the ball.
I'm not an expert, so I could be wrong...
I thought a chain was supposed to be 66 feet, not 10...;-)
GO SEAHAWKS!!!!
Radar
Okay
30', right?
I wonder how wide the striping on the field is?
Let us say they spot the ball and bring the chains out. Say 1st and 10 was at the 32 yard line so they have to cross the 42 yard line to get a 1st down. So they have to put the rear pole on the 32 yard line. They must eyeball that since they are in between the hash marks or the hash marks and the sideline, right?
Okay
> They must eyeball that since they are in between the hash marks or the hash marks and the sideline, right?
I ran the chains in high school and that's they way we did it; we eyeballed it.
Okay
> Let us say they spot the ball and bring the chains out. Say 1st and 10 was at the 32 yard line so they have to cross the 42 yard line to get a 1st down. So they have to put the rear pole on the 32 yard line. They must eyeball that since they are in between the hash marks or the hash marks and the sideline, right?
Watch the chain crew the next time you see a measurement. They put a guy in the middle who has been holding on the last 5 yard line they crossed. I think they actually attach a clip or marker of some sort.
The 5 yard line, of course, must be presumed to be parallel in order for this to work.
