ACC Suspends Miami-Duke Officials

[SC Official]

What a finish to this game.

ACC suspends on-field officials, replay officials after wild Miami-Duke finish

[Robert Goodman]

This is how evalu'ns go? There could've been a ton of other good or bad calls during that or many other games, but because this down got so much att'n, that's what they go by?

Let's tackle these points one by one:

• Replay official Andrew Panucci should have ruled Miami back Mark Walton was down before releasing the ball on one of the laterals. If the proper call had been made, the game would have ended in a Duke victory.

Rule 2-4-1a says "The ball is in player possession when a player has the ball firmly in his grasp by holding or controlling it while contacting the ground inbounds". In this play the player in in the process of releasing the ball when the knee is down and I am not sure the player still has "firm grasp" of the ball at that time. Still angles show the knee was down while the ball was in the hand but I can see why they ruled it live on the field and upheld it on replay.

• The on-field officials failed to penalize Miami for an illegal block in the back at the Miami 16-yard line. If called, the ball would have been placed at the Miami 8-yard line and the game would have been extended for an untimed down.

My understanding is that it is not an IBB because the player was blocked into the player he was trying to tackle, who had just lateraled the ball.

• The on-field crew failed to penalize Miami receiver Rashawn Scott for leaving the bench and running onto the field before the play ended. The penalty would not have negated the touchdown because it would have been enforced as a dead ball foul.

There was a lot going on to miss one player running on to the field. However, he didn't interfere with the play or touch the player, so it is live ball treated as dead ball. The penalty would be enforced on the try or succeeding kickoff. Since the TD ended the game, the penalty is declined by rule.

• The block in the back penalty that was called -- at the Duke 26-yard line -- was picked up after the officials conferred, which is appropriate. They correctly determined that the block was from the side. The replay official was not involved in the decision to pick up the flag; however, referee Jerry Magallanes did not effectively manage communication and properly explain why the flag was picked up.

The communication errors are understandable -- you had 8 laterals and two flags to rule on and possibly pick up before sending the play to replay review. Apparently the review took 9 minutes but that shouldn't be a big deal because there were so many laterals too look at.

So yeah the crew wasn't perfect but certainly didn't mess up enough for a 2 game suspension.

[BigsFLA]

Originally Posted by AremRed

Let's tackle these points one by one:

• Replay official Andrew Panucci should have ruled Miami back Mark Walton was down before releasing the ball on one of the laterals. If the proper call had been made, the game would have ended in a Duke victory.

Rule 2-4-1a says "The ball is in player possession when a player has the ball firmly in his grasp by holding or controlling it while contacting the ground inbounds". In this play the player in in the process of releasing the ball when the knee is down and I am not sure the player still has "firm grasp" of the ball at that time. Still angles show the knee was down while the ball was in the hand but I can see why they ruled it live on the field and upheld it on replay.

• The on-field officials failed to penalize Miami for an illegal block in the back at the Miami 16-yard line. If called, the ball would have been placed at the Miami 8-yard line and the game would have been extended for an untimed down.

My understanding is that it is not an IBB because the player was blocked into the player he was trying to tackle, who had just lateraled the ball.

• The on-field crew failed to penalize Miami receiver Rashawn Scott for leaving the bench and running onto the field before the play ended. The penalty would not have negated the touchdown because it would have been enforced as a dead ball foul.

There was a lot going on to miss one player running on to the field. However, he didn't interfere with the play or touch the player, so it is live ball treated as dead ball. The penalty would be enforced on the try or succeeding kickoff. Since the TD ended the game, the penalty is declined by rule.

• The block in the back penalty that was called -- at the Duke 26-yard line -- was picked up after the officials conferred, which is appropriate. They correctly determined that the block was from the side. The replay official was not involved in the decision to pick up the flag; however, referee Jerry Magallanes did not effectively manage communication and properly explain why the flag was picked up.

The communication errors are understandable -- you had 8 laterals and two flags to rule on and possibly pick up before sending the play to replay review. Apparently the review took 9 minutes but that shouldn't be a big deal because there were so many laterals too look at.

So yeah the crew wasn't perfect but certainly didn't mess up enough for a 2 game suspension.

Excellent points, AremRed! In RT, it is quite easy to miss whether that knee is down or not. Panucci had a lot to look at and I am certain there was pressure to review everything going on as quickly as possible. A mistake? Yes. It should have been caught, but there was so much to review and I'll bet the major concerns were ensuring that none of the laterals were forward passes. I'd have called the IBB had I seen it. They screwed up, but a two-game suspension was over-the-top imho.

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by BigsFLA

Excellent points, AremRed! In RT, it is quite easy to miss whether that knee is down or not. Panucci had a lot to look at and I am certain there was pressure to review everything going on as quickly as possible. A mistake? Yes. It should have been caught, but there was so much to review and I'll bet the major concerns were ensuring that none of the laterals were forward passes. I'd have called the IBB had I seen it. They screwed up, but a two-game suspension was over-the-top imho.

Should anyone be really surprised? Like anything, that may well be beneficial, when taken to ridiculous extreme can be twisted into something counterproductive.

Absolute perfection is a laudable objective and valid pursuit, but when people delude themselves into thinking they can achieve "absolute perfection", the wheels start to come off. When the illusion of "cure", turns out to be far more troublesome than whatever sickness you're dealing with, it's better to accept the reality of diminishing return, than insist on the "cure".

This sounds a lot more like the ACC, rather than face the reality that expecting absolute perfection, down to the level of a gnat's eyelash, is not and never will be possible in any facet of the game of football (playing, coaching, administering, rule making or officiating - in real time), chose simply to pander to the loudest complainers to protect, what they imagine, is there own illusion of perfection.

[BigsFLA]

Exactly! You got all philosophical there, ajmc! Perfection is an illusion, though to do the best one can is another story. I seem to recall a certain Packer-Seahawk NFL game in which the simultaneous catch was blown by the NFL replacement officials. One can always say that "hindsight is 20/20" and that's exactly what we have going on here.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BigsFLA

Exactly! You got all philosophical there, ajmc! Perfection is an illusion, though to do the best one can is another story. I seem to recall a certain Packer-Seahawk NFL game in which the simultaneous catch was blown by the NFL replacement officials. One can always say that "hindsight is 20/20" and that's exactly what we have going on here.

Yeah and it would be nice if people actually knew that was not a blown call either.

Peace

[MD Longhorn]

Well... first, it wasn't just this play they screwed up. Something broke down on the previous play as well, as he clearly didn't score. Something was off on that entire drive... what, four interference calls, at least one phantom and one very questionable.

But that final play -
SERIOUSLY not sure how anyone, even a fellow ref, can watch the replay and not see his knee down before letting go of the ball. And the conference agrees.

SERIOUSLY question anyone not seeing the BIB as a BIB. Unless you're just a Miami homer or one of those refs that think we make no mistakes ever. And the conference agrees.

Awful communication of the waiving off of the other BIB.

Missing the guy coming onto the field late was minor - surprised it made the article, and catching that makes no difference.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by ajmc

Should anyone be really surprised? Like anything, that may well be beneficial, when taken to ridiculous extreme can be twisted into something counterproductive.

Absolute perfection is a laudable objective and valid pursuit, but when people delude themselves into thinking they can achieve "absolute perfection", the wheels start to come off. When the illusion of "cure", turns out to be far more troublesome than whatever sickness you're dealing with, it's better to accept the reality of diminishing return, than insist on the "cure".

This sounds a lot more like the ACC, rather than face the reality that expecting absolute perfection, down to the level of a gnat's eyelash, is not and never will be possible in any facet of the game of football (playing, coaching, administering, rule making or officiating - in real time), chose simply to pander to the loudest complainers to protect, what they imagine, is there own illusion of perfection.

We do miss calls. And I am kind of surprised the ENTIRE crew is taking the bullet on this one. I'd have serious reservations allowing the replay official to work again at all though. He does his job (on EITHER of the final two plays), and no one gets suspended.

[Texas Aggie]

SERIOUSLY not sure how anyone, even a fellow ref, can watch the replay and not see his knee down before letting go of the ball.

Post another angle if you have one, but the only one I saw was from behind and I offer the opposite view: there's no way anyone can tell for absolute sure. Are you 100% sure the knee is ON the ground BEFORE the ball is released? If so, please explain how.

This is a PR move. Officials are easy to throw under the bus and I'd bet money they're getting at least one game check.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

Are you 100% sure the knee is ON the ground BEFORE the ball is released?

Yes

If so, please explain how.

Visually. Freeze frame. Knee on the ground, ball still in his hands.

This is a PR move. Officials are easy to throw under the bus and I'd bet money they're getting at least one game check.

I do agree with that. I don't see 2 weeks for the entire crew here. Whoever missed the BIB has some blame ... but missing BIB is not a 2 week suspension. The ref communication was awful ... but again, not worth 2 weeks. The phantom PI on the previous series probably deserves a game off. The replay official? I hope he doesn't work again... especially if you include the Duke TD play in the evaluation.

[ajmc]

It's highly doubtful the officials on the field had instant access to "freeze frame" technology to immediately assist them, in real time. Suggesting this play had "broken down" into an unpredictable cluster----, may be an understatement.

As we all (should clearly) know, often what is visible from the camera angle is simply NOT visible from ground level, especially when 22 players are acting totally independent from any script.

It is a lot easier to follow the action, given the assistance of slow motion, stop action and freeze-frame analysis from the comfort and positioning available to video review, and ACC management should have remembered their distinct viewing advantages before pontification about what "coulda", "shoulda" happened and threw their game officials under the nearest bus.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by ajmc

It's highly doubtful the officials on the field had instant access to "freeze frame" technology to immediately assist them, in real time.

Of course. You've heard of replay? (I've said twice now that the person that fell down on the job here was the replay official).

[Welpe]

I'm still trying to figure out why the on-field crew is paying for what is chiefly the mistake of the replay official. The CYA smells awful here.

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Of course. You've heard of replay? (I've said twice now that the person that fell down on the job here was the replay official).

I have absolutely no personal experience with the requirements, actual execution or difficulties associated with the job of a replay official, and therefore do not consider myself competent to opine on the competence of any replay official.