Auburn Got Screwed

[Fryowa]

Everyone here knows I’m not too quick to complain about officials, even if deserved, but Auburn got that game stolen from them. I mean that screw job was one for the ages. And I have no fandom or connection to Houston or Auburn whatsoever.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a blatant case of intentional grounding before that Houston TD in my life, let alone one that didn’t get called. And that’s a flag that can be thrown during a dead ball—they even had a perfect opportunity to get it right. Not excusable, I have no idea how you miss that.

It’s like missing an infield fly call. Everyone in the park saw it, your partner saw it, but you fucked it up and even though it’s embarrassing you have a chance to correct it. Do it.

 

[uihawk82]

Everyone here knows I’m not too quick to complain about officials, even if deserved, but Auburn got that game stolen from them. I mean that screw job was one for the ages. And I have no fandom or connection to Houston or Auburn whatsoever.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a blatant case of intentional grounding before that Houston TD in my life, let alone one that didn’t get called. And that’s a flag that can be thrown during a dead ball—they even had a perfect opportunity to get it right. Not excusable, I have no idea how you miss that.

It’s like missing an infield fly call. Everyone in the park saw it, your partner saw it, but you fucked it up and even though it’s embarrassing you have a chance to correct it. Do it.

I will have to look for a replay somewhere as I too love to bitch about poor officiating.

The rule/s I see college and pro refs seeming to blow a lot of the time is the too many men in the backfield/receiver covered up to make him illegal receiver foul. Supposedly a player on the line of scrimmage is not supposed to have their helmet behind the center's waist or butt from how I have heard it explained multiple times on tv by the experts. That is a pretty easy thing for the line judges to see and so it also is easy to see a slot or flanker receivers being a half yard back of the center's ass which puts them in the backfield. The slot and flanker receivers and TEnds lined up in the backfield are most times in a stand up position so as long as all the front of their body is being the center's ass they should be good. And most times receivers check with the line judge to get the OK on their positioning.

But I see a lot of coaches on the sidelines bitching about these calls and scratching their heads. And on replay the refs miss them both ways a lot.

 

[okeefe4prez]

I will have to look for a replay somewhere as I too love to bitch about poor officiating.

The rule/s I see college and pro refs seeming to blow a lot of the time is the too many men in the backfield/receiver covered up to make him illegal receiver foul. Supposedly a player on the line of scrimmage is not supposed to have their helmet behind the center's waist or butt from how I have heard it explained multiple times on tv by the experts. That is a pretty easy thing for the line judges to see and so it also is easy to see a slot or flanker receivers being a half yard back of the center's ass which puts them in the backfield. The slot and flanker receivers and TEnds lined up in the backfield are most times in a stand up position so as long as all the front of their body is being the center's ass they should be good. And most times receivers check with the line judge to get the OK on their positioning.

But I see a lot of coaches on the sidelines bitching about these calls and scratching their heads. And on replay the refs miss them both ways a lot.

Nothing pisses off Ferentz more than when the refs miss that one or let a guy who was covered on the line run down the field. You can tell he coaches to not cover that guy as a pass target and it is a good strategy, but on the handful of times they have whiffed on the call and it has cost Iowa a big play Ferentz just absolutely loses his shit.

We won the 2007 Illinois game (against a pretty decent Illinois team I might add) as a result of a TD called back on that very penalty. Iowa didn't even cover the guy and he thought he had an easy long TD. Nope.

 

[uihawk82]

Nothing pisses off Ferentz more than when the refs miss that one or let a guy who was covered on the line run down the field. You can tell he coaches to not cover that guy as a pass target and it is a good strategy, but on the handful of times they have whiffed on the call and it has cost Iowa a big play Ferentz just absolutely loses his shit.

We won the 2007 Illinois game (against a pretty decent Illinois team I might add) as a result of a TD called back on that very penalty. Iowa didn't even cover the guy and he thought he had an easy long TD. Nope.

A few years ago in Lincoln the Iowa coaches and players on the field thought a nebby receiver was covered up and yet he went out and caught a big gain pass play. Iirc Kirk got a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty on it. But there wasnt a real good LOS camera angle. The replay showed he might have been covered up or not. But the players ignored him at first and he snuck out into the open and you know Kirk and Phil were right there watching it.

I think it was Scott Chandler who got called for it on a TD throw from Tate in the Alamo Bowl which would have given the hawks a bigger lead at the time in a one score loss. Replays on that one were very close but I mean most Chandler was almost completely behind the right tackle he was lined up by which normally puts you in the backfield to make you eligible.

 

[okeefe4prez]

A few years ago in Lincoln the Iowa coaches and players on the field thought a nebby receiver was covered up and yet he went out and caught a big gain pass play. Iirc Kirk got a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty on it. But there wasnt a real good LOS camera angle. The replay showed he might have been covered up or not. But the players ignored him at first and he snuck out into the open and you know Kirk and Phil were right there watching it.

I think it was Scott Chandler who got called for it on a TD throw from Tate in the Alamo Bowl which would have given the hawks a bigger lead at the time in a one score loss. Replays on that one were very close but I mean most Chandler was almost completely behind the right tackle he was lined up by which normally puts you in the backfield to make you eligible.

Oh man, I remember both of those plays.

 

[trj]

Full disclosure I didn't watch the game I am checking out the highlights now. Auburn had every reason to check out of this and not compete...kudos to them for caring.

 

[99topdawg]

The rule/s I see college and pro refs seeming to blow a lot of the time is the too many men in the backfield/receiver covered up to make him illegal receiver foul.

Was coaching in a HS game. 1 touchdown game at the time (we lost by ~3 TD's so it probably didn't matter). 4th and 4 at the 8. They had a wing-t formation (3 rb's and a qb) and had a WR go in motion and was in motion at the time of the snap. They scored a TD. I told the official that they had 5 guys in the backfield. He told me that there is no penalty for having 5 guys in the backfield. This is true. It would have to be 12 on the field or 6 on the LOS. Yes, I'm still pissed. Not so much that we lost, but the fact that I was actually right for once and was denied.

 

[Fryowa]

I told the official that they had 5 guys in the backfield. He told me that there is no penalty for having 5 guys in the backfield. This is true. It would have to be 12 on the field or 6 on the LOS. Yes, I'm still pissed. Not so much that we lost, but the fact that I was actually right for once and was denied.

That was a smart ass answer by that official and I would’ve been pissed too. He knew exactly what you meant and gave you that answer because he wasn’t man enough to admit he missed it. Guys like that are why officials get a bad rap. Not all of us are spineless like that. I coach now so I guess I shouldn’t talk about myself like an official, but I digress…

All that being said…

There’s a local crew up here who have for the last 3 years tried to get me to do football. In their group new guys always start as a line judge. It’s the easiest spot to officiate, but no fucking way am I going to stand on the sidelines with 4 of you guys screaming in my ear all game long about every OL twitch and PI call or no call. I could eject a baseball coach, but with football it’s some unwritten rule that you guys are allowed to go full on schizo melt down every play with no repercussions. No thanks.

I don’t think you’re that guy, btw, but NW Iowa is full of them.

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

I will have to look for a replay somewhere as I too love to bitch about poor officiating.

The rule/s I see college and pro refs seeming to blow a lot of the time is the too many men in the backfield/receiver covered up to make him illegal receiver foul. Supposedly a player on the line of scrimmage is not supposed to have their helmet behind the center's waist or butt from how I have heard it explained multiple times on tv by the experts. That is a pretty easy thing for the line judges to see and so it also is easy to see a slot or flanker receivers being a half yard back of the center's ass which puts them in the backfield. The slot and flanker receivers and TEnds lined up in the backfield are most times in a stand up position so as long as all the front of their body is being the center's ass they should be good. And most times receivers check with the line judge to get the OK on their positioning.

But I see a lot of coaches on the sidelines bitching about these calls and scratching their heads. And on replay the refs miss them both ways a lot.

I get that the line judges have a lot to look for, but they really miss calls a lot. I wouldn't be opposed to giving them a laminated sheet with a check list of everything they are supposed to be looking at and asking them to review it occasionally.

 

[Fryowa]

…I too love to bitch about poor officiating.

Officiating is something that really no one should bitch about unless they’ve spent at least a full season doing it, paid high school level at minimum.

And that’s not hyperbole. It’s literally as easy as taking an online test, paying your state fee, and passing a background check. I. The space of a week you can be an official. 50/50 states have huge shortages in every sport. Try it a couple times and you’ll look at the whole thing completely different.

You’ll find out that you actually don’t know shit about that sport (myself included and I played that sport from age 4-20), and you’ll understand how unbelievably good NCAA D1 officials are.

 

[uihawk82]

Officiating is something that really no one should bitch about unless they’ve spent at least a full season doing it, paid high school level at minimum.

And that’s not hyperbole. It’s literally as easy as taking an online test, paying your state fee, and passing a background check. I. The space of a week you can be an official. 50/50 states have huge shortages in every sport. Try it a couple times and you’ll look at the whole thing completely different.

You’ll find out that you actually don’t know shit about that sport (myself included and I played that sport from age 4-20), and you’ll understand how unbelievably good NCAA D1 officials are.

I know it can be difficult but I am mostly talking about pre-snap official's decisions here. Hell reffing 9th grade football and basketball and baseball which I have done along with adult league bball is hard enuf (especially since those adults all have different colored shirts on).