Q: Have players been taught to lightly nudge or get in the way of refs on close 3rd down spots?

[upstater1]

This seems like something that can be coached. Make the ref go around you and spot the ball with the other foot. Time it right so that when the sideline judge runs toward the hash, step in front of him at the last second.

Just watching the Washington/Philly game and I see the ref trying to avoid players and not spotting the ball correctly.

 

[Pape]

not sure if its coached, but players always are messing with ball position... harder to get away with it nowadays because of all the cameras, but it used to be really commonplace

 

[jmt57]

I always used to scream at the sky about yardage markers. Specifically that they would bring out the chain gang for a quarter inch measurement - and then proceed to run to the sideline, and eyeball it from there as well as on each subsequent play.

So ridiculous and hypocritical, though it did make for good drama.



Interestingly you don't see those measurement any more, because they cut into how long a game plays (which screws local stations and networks up). Now the chain gang simply places the marker on the closest yard marker, even if it is 15 inches away.

Integrity!

First-down spots limit the necessity for too many measurements

The officials do their best to make sure the chains stay on the sideline and thanks to well marked fields, the chain gang gets less TV time.

www.footballzebras.com

 

[captain stone]

The manner in which balls are placed, spotted & measured is nothing short of a Disgrace to the Human Race. Part of the solution is a return to wider hashmarks; another is actual Honesty...