Here is a Ray Lutz “Forward Progress” post from October 1, 2008 (Edited for clarity)
FOCUS ON MECHANICS…Continue officiating
Keep players in view after ruling on a score. Too many times, you see officials thinking they have to freeze in a TD signaling pose and look straight into thin air when ruling a TD. Your job is still to officiate, just like any other dead-ball or out-of-bounds situation. Turn your head to follow the players in the end zone or outside it. If necessary, turn your entire body, as on any other out-of-bounds play. Your signal will be visible no matter which way you turn. The same thing applies to incomplete passes and similar situations.
Our crew calls this a “Gumbo.” When the ball carrier goes “bayou” on the goal line, pivot your body while signaling and focus on him.
Mark’s additional comments: I had the fortune of connecting with Ray Lutz often during my first decade of football officiating. I will forever remember Ray emphasizing the need to keep our eyes on the players. I still use the word “Gumbo” when addressing this concept.
Our eyes should rarely be looking at the ground or straight ahead. Whenever we get a forward progress spot, signal touchdown on the goal line, or give the stop the clock signal after a runner goes out of bounds; we need to focus on the players around us.
It’s like being at the mall with a toddler. We may have business to attend to, but we are always shifting our focus from the task at hand to checking in on the youngster. We can’t be head down staring at our phones, staring at the menu behind the counter at the food court, or fixated on the newest Red Sox cap on the shelf.
Don’t fixate on the line of scrimmage or goal line. We need to keep our heads up and eyes on the players.
Quiz
Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer.
This is different than the quiz from the last Ready for Play article
3/6 from the A-20. A33 is hit at the A-25 and fumbles. To keep the ball from a Team B recovery, A47 bats the ball at the A-22. A17 falls on the ball at the A-28. From which yard line will A47’s illegal batting foul be enforced?
- A-28 (dead ball spot)
- A-25 (spot of the fumble)
- A-22 (spot of the foul)
- A-20 (previous spot)
Review Rules 2-33-2, 10-4-4e