No one saw it!

[The Cynic]

Originally Posted by LDUB

Who deals with the coaches if all 5 officials get together under any other situation (weird rule or something)? Are the coaches allowed 50 yards out on the field under that situation too?

Think about it, these guys were almost 58 yards away from where they should have been. The field is only 53 1/3 yards wide. They were farther from where they should have been than the field is wide. They weren't 2 steps out on the field. There is no way this isn't 2 sideline warnings, and there is no way it isn't a USC foul if a coach who is out there says anything bad to the officials.

LDub...

You've got this thing nailed. Had those coaches who, to that point, have probably spent over 3000 hours preparing their teams for the season and that game in particular, stayed on the sideline and just let these officials, who obviously had great control over the situation, do their job, this situation would have ironed itself out.

The fact is that BOTH coaches were on the field AFTER it was quite clear that the officials were not doing their jobs properly. What if the officials weren't blowing the whistle at the end of plays and allowing players to be injured? Are the coaches suppose to stay in the coaches' box as well? (only a maximum of three of them, I know)

And God forbid if one of the coaches said something bad during this situation, as you would have to prove who was in charge by tossing the yellow hanky in the air.

Indeed, both coaches should have been flagged. Offsetting penalties. Move on.

And sure this play didn't affect the outcome of the game, as there was 30 seconds left to play while neither team had any timeouts left. What the officials do never affects the outcome of the game. It is always what the coaches and players do; NEVER the officials. Just ask Norv Turner.

One thing you are not correct on in your assessment of the situation is your claim that the coaches were 58 yards from where they were supposed to be. I am sure you just forgot to use the Pythagorean theorem to figure out that the coaches were at most 36 yards from the coaches' box.

For what it is worth, I have done both jobs and have a tremendous amount of respect for officiating and the passion that many professionals hold toward the vocation, but please don't try and tell me that both parties have equal parts invested in the outcome of getting this call right or wrong… and that as a coach, I am suppose to sit by passively and let this thing unfold. Once the call is made in this situation, the game is as over. I can’t wait for a conference, I can’t hope for an onside kick. At that point, the only chance to win that game is to have the official signal touchdown—something that both coaches realized and compelled them to enter the field of play much to your chagrin.