UPDATED: Wednesday, Sept. 7th, 7:16 p.m.

Dino Babers thinks it’s overblown and Bobby Petrino wants the officials to do their job. Whether the chains are set before a snap has become a focal point of Syracuse’s (1-0) matchup with No. 13 Louisville (1-0) on Friday at 8 p.m.

Petrino said he spoke with an Atlantic Coast Conference official and found out the chains that mark the distance to a first down have to be set before the ball can be snapped. But ACC coordinator of football officiating Dennis Hennigan said otherwise, per Stephan Bailey of Syracuse.com.

“Assuming that the offense does not substitute, the officials will allow the offense to snap the ball when the officials are in position, and when the “box,” i.e., the down indicator, is set,” Hennigan said. “The officials do not wait for the chains to get set. Both the box and the chains move upon the direction of the officials.”

On Monday, Petrino said to local media he’d like to make sure that the chains are set before SU snaps the ball because that didn’t happen several times in the Orange’s matchup with Colgate.

Babers thought the “box,” which marks the line of scrimmage, is the only thing that has to be set. Hennigan confirmed that.

Syracuse’s no-huddle offense sometimes is able to set up faster than the chain crew when the offense gains a first down. At least once against Colgate, an official held SU quarterback Eric Dungey back from snapping the ball.

Babers said after the game that his offense was too slow. Being forced to wait for the chain crew would slow the Orange down even more.

“No, I haven’t (had an issue with chains being set before),” Babers said on the teleconference, “and I’m not concerned about the chains being set … I don’t think the game’s going to be decided in the one or two seconds from whether the chains are set or not.”

Published on September 7, 2016 at 1:09 pm

Contact Chris: cjlibona@syr.edu | @ChrisLibonati