Penalty numbers

[JMN]

What you might think about is taking a picture of the player who fouled.

My mechanic is:

1) See the entire play, rule a foul if the action created an advantage for a team at the point of attack or if it's a safety issue

2) Keep eyes on action and throw a flag at the spot of the foul

3) Take a "mental snapshot" of the player that fouled (this forces you to stay with the play long enough to register the number, color of the jersey, and approximate yard line where foul occurred)

4) Pick up the action and continue officiating.

It's easier with experience, but sometimes we might miss a number. It's not the end of the world. Rarely will you miss any additional play coverage by staying with the foul for an extra second or two.