Early Years football calls

Question
Years ago when a football team had a penalty the referee would yell out the penalty and just point at the team not calling out the player who made the penalty. Can you tell me why this was.

Answer
Frank,
The announcement of the penalty by the Referee has evolved over the decades, primarily to give information to the teams, coaches, pressbox, TV and fans. It continues to evolve and announcing the offending player's number is part of the evolution.  The reason the player's number is announced is so it is communicated to all who fouled. It is not intended to embarrass but rather to verbally document for the Coaching staff, pressbox and fans who the offending player was.

Up until 1941 officials used Horns and whistles, it was in 1941 that the penalty flag was used to communicated to Coaches, the teams, pressbox, spectators and other officials a foul occurred and where on the filed it occurred.  It was not until the 1960s that a red penalty flag was adopted by all officiating groups and not until 1974 that the red flag went to a gold color.  The purpose of the flag was for better communication.  Likewise the microphone was the next step in the communication of the foul and penalty administration.

Before the 1991 season Referees rarely wore microphones.  The NCAA Rules committee in 1991 "recommended" the Referee use a mic; as was done in the NFL.  It was not until 2010 that the Rules committee mandated that Rule 1-4-13 was to be implemented making microphones mandatory for the Referee ["A microphone is mandatory for the referee to be used for all game announcements. It is strongly recommended that it be a lapel-type microphone. The microphone must be controlled by the referee. It may not be open at other times. Microphones on other officials are prohibited."]  The purpose was for better communication from the field to the Coaches, Pressbox, clock operator, fans and TV/media.  It would also speed the game up.

When a foul occurs the officials report to the head coach: What the foul was, who the player was involved, specifically what he did and the enforcement options.  With the use of the microphone all this information could be communicated to those watching.  The Referee announces: The foul, the offending team (either offense/defense or the team name), the number of the offending player [not the name], then the penalty yardage with enforcement spot and the upcoming down to be played.  

This microphone mechanic was taken from the NFL and implemented into college football. It is intended give all the information to those watching the game the same information that is being given to the head coach, the announcement is also intended so the coach can hear the entire announcement form the Referee for better, swifter and clearer communication.  This mechanic is still evolving.  If you listen closely to the Referees, you will hear many state what the action was that caused the foul (i.e. DPI - "hook and turn" or DPI- "arm bar", "restricting the receiver's path to the ball"; Offensive Holding- "takedown" or "grab and restrict"; etc.)

Many conferences in their summer officiating clinics meet with the Referees and spend hours discussing and practicing  how to properly use the microphone and make better announcements communicating all essential information.  The NFL has done a great job with microphone mechanics for the Referee and the college game is learning from this mechanic.  Communicating the number of the player helps in the accurate administration and reporting of the foul.