SEC officials under microscope after high-profile mistakes

There might be say goodbye to hard job in college football than officiating

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clicking on Foxnews.com. Mississippi State train Mike Leach was still being asked his ideas Wednesday about the peculiar punt play in the fourth quarter of recently's loss to Memphis, and 2 evident mistakes-- among them acknowledged-- by SEC officials.

Leach still had not been certain he wanted to pay to review them.

No matter, the scenario on the same Saturday as another considerable error by SEC officials in Auburn's loss at Penn State has actually put the guys as well as females in stripes specifically where they never such as to be: the limelight.

"There is not a great deal I can do differently. I plainly have some thoughts," recognized Leach, whose interplay LSU this weekend break. "I just need to figure out if I'm interest in making a financial investment in airing those ideas. There is type of a cost to play this particular game. I type of reserve the right to do that. It is still an option on the table."

There might be no more difficult task in college football than officiating, specifically as teams have actually accepted large open offenses, quick alternatives, faster paces and also more exotic appearances. And the fact is that both plays that shone a nasty limelight on the SEC on Saturday were but 2 of hundreds that its officials were required to watch last weekend.

Still, they are also were mistakes egregious enough-- specifically with immediate replay available-- that lots of instructors, gamers and followers are no doubt left wondering whether they can count on SEC authorities to manage their video games.

The more noteworthy errors, so because it straight influenced the end result, was available in the Bulldogs' game.

It happened with Memphis leading 21-17 as well as 5:58 left in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs punted and also two players made contact with the round in an effort to down it, though neither ever before in fact had it, and the back judge waved his arms over his head to signify the play was dead. However with no whistle blowing, the Tigers' Calvin Austin III alertly grabbed the round as well as removed, running almost the size of the area for a clinching goal.

The league stated in a declaration that Austin was allowed to pick the ball up since "the kicked sphere continued to be obey rule, because it was not possessed by a gamer," though more than a few would differ with the interpretation. Where that was no grey area was this: The play should have been turned around because of the authorities's signal.

"The subsequent evaluation would have positioned the round at the area where the signal was made," the SEC stated.

Leach said he was informed Saturday that all plays are reviewed, which the punting play had actually already been validated.

Evidently, the officials doing the testimonial additionally missed the reality hat Memphis had 2 players on the area putting on the No. 4, which is likewise a violation and should have resulted in a 5-yard fine.

"It is incredibly frustrating when student-athletes are not totally in control of a game's result," Mississippi State sports director John Cohen claimed, "especially when thinking about the moment, effort and also sources took into an officiating system developed to get rid of human mistake on the area whenever possible."

It really did not get rid of human mistake in Pleased Valley, either.

Early in the second quarter, the authorities simply forgot an entire down-- every one of them-- as well as Penn State was required to punt on third down. Not remarkably, Nittany Lions coach James Franklin was still frustrated after the game.

Good thing they won or he might have been downright angry.

"I talked to every one of them. They all agreed," Franklin said. "I maintained bringing them over as well as saying, 'It's not accurate.' I do not know what else I can tell you, however they all concurred with the officials. They got the headset, they spoke with each various other and also they all concurred. They ran it by replay, they agreed too. I don't understand what else I can do or what else I can claim."

The SEC had something to state: "The error was uncovered throughout the media timeout that followed the punt," the organization claimed in a statement after the game, "as well as by regulation it can not be remedied at that time."

As far as Leach is worried, at the very least make certain it's appropriate following time.

"Our team doesn't require to worry about that. We had ample chances to do things in a different way," he claimed while picking to take a diplomatic strategy. "The largest point is we require to bother with ourselves as well as what we believe is essential. (The players) don't harp on that in any way. I handle that and also our administration as well as the league-- they manage that, and also we focus on playing one play at a time. We have actually got to get better at that. That's the largest thing."

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