More Bad Big 12 Officiating

[VeloClone]

As long as we all melting down about this game I might as well add my own thread.

Did anyone else feel like the refs were noticeably bad at spotting the ball after plays last night? There seemed to be an unusually high number of spots that were half a yard or more off where the ball was downed.

My brother and I both observed that independently last night.

 

[FanatiClone]

As long as we all melting down about this game I might as well add my own thread.

Did anyone else feel like the refs were noticeably bad at spotting the ball after plays last night? There seemed to be an unusually high number of spots that were half a yard or more off where the ball was downed.

My brother and I both observed that independently last night.

I did. Whenever I mentioned it tho, I got those blank zombie-like stares from everybody...almost to the point that I started feeling nit picky and that maybe I was just griping too damn much. But each replay would confirm what I was noticing. Glad you brought it up. I ain't crazy!

 

[1100011CS]

As long as we all melting down about this game I might as well add my own thread.

Did anyone else feel like the refs were noticeably bad at spotting the ball after plays last night? There seemed to be an unusually high number of spots that were half a yard or more off where the ball was downed.

My brother and I both observed that independently last night.

I only noticed it on one of Sam's slides right before the 2nd and 1 from the 4(or 6 or wherever we were) fiasco.

 

[MNCyGuy]

You weren't alone. People in our section noticed and griped about it all night too.

 

[ruxCYtable]

As long as we all melting down about this game I might as well add my own thread.

Did anyone else feel like the refs were noticeably bad at spotting the ball after plays last night? There seemed to be an unusually high number of spots that were half a yard or more off where the ball was downed.

My brother and I both observed that independently last night.

YES! I normally think the refs do a pretty good job at spotting the ball but these guys were CLEARLY spotting us 1/2 to a full yard short EVERY play. I was actually shocked our coaching staff didn't seem to notice and complain. A few of the more blatant ones we got the first down on the play anyway so maybe they didn't think it was a big deal.

 

[cdnlngld]

Nope, everyone in our section was saying the same thing. That was all around terrible officiating. In almost every aspect.

 

[Rods79]

This was a huge problem in the first half. There were many spots well behind where the player was down, and all of Texas' spots were pretty spot on. The second half got better though.

 

[Cyclophile1]

I mentioned it a couple of times in the Game thread. A couple of them they took away a full yard, and on one in particular when Sam slid for a first down, I thought for a moment they were going to need to measure for the first down when he was clearly a yard and a half beyond the marker in his slide. It was atrocious and kind of gave me a sickening feeling that wound up being true. These refs were favoring Texas - no doubt in my mind. It's never been clearer in a game to me than this one. It COULD be a semi-conscious kind of benign bias, but those spots seemed to be an early indication of things to come in hindsight. The fumble is just inexplicable on every level - replay is supposed to prevent these kinds of atrocities.

 

[CIRISH]

Agree completely.

Also (and maybe it's been covered) while Texas Oline was getting away with holding all night long, a particularly obvious non-call right in front of an official was the hold by the TX right guard or tackle on the end-zone interference call. Our rusher (don't know who it was) clearly beat the blocker and was grabbed from the side/back by the o-lineman. i don't know if that would have been an off-setting penalty with the interference (which was clearly interference) or a regular spot penalization. Either way, huge non-call.

 

[tejasclone]

There was one play, can't remember when specifically, but Texas converted a third down by about a single inch. The side judge RAN to where the ball was spotted and furiously pumped his arms for the chains to move. It sure looked to me like the spot was close enough to bring the chains out and measure, but the zebras were adamant that it was a first down.

 

[wonkadog]

There was one play, can't remember when specifically, but Texas converted a third down by about a single inch. The side judge RAN to where the ball was spotted and furiously pumped his arms for the chains to move. It sure looked to me like the spot was close enough to bring the chains out and measure, but the zebras were adamant that it was a first down.

Not trying to argue that the officiating was good, however there are a lot of times when the ball starts on a yard line, so then the officials know exactly which yard line is needed to get a first down. This eliminates needing to measure but it does look bad.

 

[MrOtter]

There was one play, can't remember when specifically, but Texas converted a third down by about a single inch. The side judge RAN to where the ball was spotted and furiously pumped his arms for the chains to move. It sure looked to me like the spot was close enough to bring the chains out and measure, but the zebras were adamant that it was a first down.

I was going to say the same thing. It was a forward progress thing so those can be tricky and the ref on the other side had it about a half-yard shorter making it a pretty close call but then that guy ran in practically jumping up and down to call a first down. Reminded me of this:
[video=youtube;MrzdWla8st8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrzdWla8st8[/video]

 

[IcSyU]

The quarterback slide is marked from where he initiates the slide, not where he touches the ground so those generally do appear marked short.

 

[VeloClone]

This was a huge problem in the first half. There were many spots well behind where the player was down, and all of Texas' spots were pretty spot on. The second half got better though.

I disagree, they spotted the ball poorly when Texas had the ball as well. On one fair catch of a punt the Texas player started standing at the 15, stepped back to the 14 1/2 and then leaped backward to catch the punt landing at the 14. They spotted the ball right on the 15. It made me so incredulous because there was no one anywhere near him so it was so very easy to see.

All those 1/2 yards here and 1 yard there add up to quite a bit when you are doing it both ways.

 

[VeloClone]

Not trying to argue that the officiating was good, however there are a lot of times when the ball starts on a yard line, so then the officials know exactly which yard line is needed to get a first down. This eliminates needing to measure but it does look bad.

Yes, this was at the 25 right after they placed the fair caught punt with the nose of the ball right on the 15.

 

[tejasclone]

Not trying to argue that the officiating was good, however there are a lot of times when the ball starts on a yard line, so then the officials know exactly which yard line is needed to get a first down. This eliminates needing to measure but it does look bad.

Sure, but usually you don't see such demonstrative enthusiasm out of a first down indication. Just one of those moments in the evening that contributed to my bewilderment.

 

[cyclone87]

There was one play, can't remember when specifically, but Texas converted a third down by about a single inch. The side judge RAN to where the ball was spotted and furiously pumped his arms for the chains to move. It sure looked to me like the spot was close enough to bring the chains out and measure, but the zebras were adamant that it was a first down.

They gave Texas a good half-yard on this spot, it was terrible and should have been fourth down.

 

[Rods79]

I disagree, they spotted the ball poorly when Texas had the ball as well. On one fair catch of a punt the Texas player started standing at the 15, stepped back to the 14 1/2 and then leaped backward to catch the punt landing at the 14. They spotted the ball right on the 15. It made me so incredulous because there was no one anywhere near him so it was so very easy to see.

All those 1/2 yards here and 1 yard there add up to quite a bit when you are doing it both ways.

I remember that instance as well. I suppose I was trying to say that there was nothing on Texas' end that was as egregious as how the ball was consistently spotted for our team.

 

[Topshelf]

It was odd. I also noticed that the chains moved for Iowa State on one play and then the ref marked it back a yard and I'm guessing had the chains not moved, it would have been short of the first down. It was strange. I felt like we were getting homered early in the game. If it was a third and short, we almost had to pass five yards past the first down to guarantee a first down mark.

 

[ruxCYtable]

There was one play, can't remember when specifically, but Texas converted a third down by about a single inch. The side judge RAN to where the ball was spotted and furiously pumped his arms for the chains to move. It sure looked to me like the spot was close enough to bring the chains out and measure, but the zebras were adamant that it was a first down.

I saw this too. Obviously you see officials signal to move the chains, but I've never seen an official feel the need to "sell" such a motion. It was as if he was saying F.U. it's a ******* first down. If it is, fine, but don't be a **** about it.