Penalties

Probably the most important thing in penalty enforcement is making sure that there is a penalty! The official should know there is an infraction before he throws a flag. Thinking there should be a penalty is not good enough.

A covering official needs to see the whole play, not just the result. For instance, if the official glances at an offensive tackle a few seconds after a snap without seeing the initial charge and sees that tackle in contact with an opponent's back between the shoulder blades, he should not assume that this is an illegal block in the back above the waist.

It is quite possible that after the opponent turned himself during the initial frontal contact, the offensive tackle could have kept the contact as his man rolled. This instance would make that particular block legal, and a flag would be unwarranted. Watchwords for the football official: Don't assume: See the whole play!

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