Lateral or not??

[Bob M.]

Originally posted by RazorRef
This is more of a question than a statement, but...As a wingman, isn't the mechanic to take one side step, MAYBE 2 to let the play go by you before you trail? 3-4 yards behind a running play seems a lot to me. Taking one side step would put the wingman in a semi-good position to make a ruling on a forward/backward pass. If he throws a flag, I agree that the umpire should be consulted to see if he had different.

REPLY: Three to four yards is really not much at all. In fact, I think it might be a little too close when you're trailing a play down the sideline. Allow the play to move away from you a little further and you'll get a better view of it. Your peripheral vision will be increased to give you a better perspective on the entire play. Really...how much more can you see at three yards than you can at ten yards? Watch D1 and NFL LJs and HLs when they trail a play. Rarely will you see them that close. Just as a point of reference, an NFL deep official once told me that seven or eight yards is consideredthe optimum distance from which to view a receiver/defender on a pass play.