# Football: Why not just start the play exactly between the hashes each time? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 21, 2021, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-why-not-just-start-the-play-exactly-between-the-hashes-each-time/951075 "2021-09-21T18:42:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2021, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-why-not-just-start-the-play-exactly-between-the-hashes-each-time/951075/1 "2021-09-21T18:42:56Z")
Why doesn’t each play start directly in the center of the field midway between the hashes, as opposed to some plays beginning on the right hash marks or the left hash? ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2021, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-why-not-just-start-the-play-exactly-between-the-hashes-each-time/951075/2 "2021-09-21T19:15:51Z")
Because it makes the strategy more interesting, especially when trying to get a last second FG. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2021, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-why-not-just-start-the-play-exactly-between-the-hashes-each-time/951075/3 "2021-09-21T19:18:13Z")
Here’s a previous thread on the subject of hashmarks: > [@Moving the hashmarks in the NFL](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moving-the-hashmarks-in-the-nfl/930221): > > In the NFL, the hashmarks are the same as a width of the goalposts, 18.5’ apart. In NCAA, the hashmarks are 40’ wide. Aside from the kicking game which would be obviously impacted near the goal line, what would be the impact to the game if the NFL hashmarks were widened again? Would offenses develop that take advantage of the extra space on one side of the field? Lots of pulling guards and leading blockers on the wide side? Flooding the wide side with receivers? Would teams develop O-lines and … ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2021, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-why-not-just-start-the-play-exactly-between-the-hashes-each-time/951075/4 "2021-09-21T19:24:40Z")
Prior to the introduction of hashmarks (1932), the ball was put into play from the exact spot of the end of the previous play; thus, if, on the previous play, the ballcarrier went out of bounds, the next play would be started just inbounds (and would require the offense to line up differently than “normal,” all to one side of the center (the lineman who snaps the ball). With hashmarks, if a play concludes outside of the hashmarks, then the next play starts at the nearer hashmark line; if a play concludes in between the hashmarks, then the next play starts at the spot of the end of the prior play. There still seems to be some strategic value in preventing an offensive team from always having the entire field equally distributed on both sides of the center; having a side of the field that is “shorter” (i.e., less width available) makes it somewhat harder for a team to always just use that side of the field for its plays.