Big Ten coaches Tuesday endorsed Penn State’s formal request for a conferencewide review of football officials.
“I think it’s something that needs to be handled within the Big Ten office,” Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said, “and I would hope that they would know what the problems are in discussions with the coaches and athletic directors and take action that will help us to solve any problems that we have.”
Two days after a controversial call against Penn State in its 27-24 overtime loss at Michigan, Nittany Lions athletic director Tim Curley asked Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany to “implement a comprehensive review of Big Ten football officiating.”
In a statement, Curley said Big Ten officiating “has not met the usual high standards associated with the Big Ten in all areas.” He asked Delany to review conference policies on crew assignments, recruitment, training and accountability.
The unusual request came at a time when fresh controversies over the officials seem to erupt every weekend in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions have felt wronged by the refs in both their losses this season.
Penn State coach Joe Paterno was so incensed he grabbed a referee after Penn State’s 42-35 overtime loss Sept. 28 to Iowa in State College, Pa. Paterno said the Nittany Lions’ problems with the officials date to last season, when the team broke a four-game losing streak.
“We’ve lost four games now since we’ve started to play a little better football and three of those were decided by questionable calls any way you put it,” Paterno said. “I’m not saying they’re wrong calls.”
Paterno isn’t the only coach who has groused about the officials. Purdue coach Joe Tiller complained about the crew that worked the Boilermakers’ loss to Wake Forest on Sept. 21 in West Lafayette, Ind., and the league responded by announcing it would withhold assignments from four of the men who worked that day.
“What I see are some calls being made by people who are not in position to make the call,” Tiller said.
Illinois coach Ron Turner, who has urged the league to adopt instant replay, said he “would basically agree” with Penn State’s request for a leaguewide review.
“Everybody has to be accountable,” Turner said. “Everybody has to be graded and judged. It’s no different than anything else. You’re evaluated on your performance.”
Big Ten officials already are graded and judged. After each game, a conference representative meets with the crew at the stadium and reviews that day’s game film play by play. Officials also receive written grades. Those who don’t measure up can lose future assignments and won’t be invited to bowl games.
The growing dissatisfaction with the officials may lead to a new push for instant replay, which has been considered too expensive.
“We’re in the Big Ten, and we can afford it, so why don’t we do it?” Tiller said.
The silent treatment: Big Ten coaches sometimes wonder why the conference doesn’t draw much respect from the media outside the league’s borders.
On Saturday, two Big Ten schools provided answers–though they never said a word.
In Ann Arbor, Paterno refused to make his players available to the media after the Nittany Lions’ loss to Michigan.
Paterno, who met with reporters for three minutes, muttered something about “getting out of here,” as if he were worried about missing the last flight to State College from Detroit Metro.
No one could blame him for not wanting to spend a Saturday night in Detroit. But like most major-college teams, Penn State flies on chartered planes and Air Lion doesn’t lift off until Capt. Paterno gives the go-ahead.
As far as anyone in the Penn State program could tell, it was the first time Paterno had done this. It seemed out of character for a man who has received more flattering coverage than any other active college football coach–except, perhaps, Florida State’s Bobby Bowden.
“All I felt like was, take a shower, let’s get out of here and go home,” Paterno said.
Meanwhile, in Iowa City, Michigan State quarterback Jeff Smoker declined to speak to reporters after he was benched in the Spartans’ 44-16 loss to Iowa. Wide receiver Charles Rogers, whose NCAA-record string of touchdown catches came to an end at 13, also declined interviews, although he did issue a meek statement through Michigan State publicists.
This was an abrupt change for two players who last summer rarely missed an opportunity to push their personal agendas–Smoker for All-America and Rogers for the Heisman Trophy.
The silence in Ann Arbor and Iowa City spoke volumes.
Of course, most of the national media missed it because they were in Dallas for the Texas-Oklahoma game. Afterward, Longhorns quarterback Chris Simms, who had another dismal outing against his school’s archrival, patiently submitted to a media grilling.
Say what you will about Simms, but he takes the good press with the bad.
New carpet for Big House: Michigan will replace its grass field with artificial turf before next season. The school made the announcement Tuesday in the wake of a divot-filled game against Penn State.
STATS & STUFF
BY THE NUMBERS
207
All-purpose yards per game for Northern Illinois running back Michael Turner, tops in Division I-A. Turner ran for five touchdowns, three in the final quarter, as the Huskies rallied past Miami of Ohio 48-41 Saturday. The Huskies are 3-0 in the Mid-American Conference for the first time since 1983.
1-8
Michigan State’s Big Ten road record under coach Bobby Williams, whose Spartans lost at Iowa 44-16 Saturday. It was the worst defeat in Williams’ three years at State.
QUOTE, UNQUOTE
“Look for slight improvement this season, but don’t expect the Falcons to go to a bowl for the 12th time under [coach Fisher] DeBerry.”–From The Sporting News’ Air Force preview. The 6-0 Falcons are bowl eligible.
MOTOR CITY MADNESS
There are two important races in the Big Ten this autumn. One is for a trip to the Rose Bowl. The other is to avoid an invitation to the Motor City Bowl Dec. 26 in Detroit. The Motor City has the seventh pick of Big Ten bowl-eligible schools. Here’s how the race looks this week:
TEAM RECORD
1. Indiana 3-3
2. Michigan State 3-3
3. Purdue 3-4
4. Illinois 2-5
5. Northwestern 2-5
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GAMES TO WATCH
No. 4 Ohio State at Wisconsin
2:30 p.m. Saturday; WLS-Ch. 7
The Badgers, once considered a Rose Bowl contender by some, are scrambling to regain some semblance of dignity after losing to lowly Indiana.
No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 18 Air Force
9 p.m. Saturday; ESPN
Someone’s bubble is going to burst Saturday night in the Rockies. Will it be the unbeaten Fighting Irish or the unbeaten Falcons?
No. 9 Iowa State at No. 2 Oklahoma
2:30 p.m. Saturday
If the Cyclones ever hope to catch the Sooners off guard, this is the week. Oklahoma is coming off an emotional come-from-behind victory over rival Texas.
No. 8 Texas at No. 17 Kansas State
6 p.m. Saturday; Fox Sports Net
A week ago the Longhorns fancied themselves Fiesta Bowl contenders. A loss here would make the Holiday Bowl look like a safer bet.
No. 22 Washington at No. 19 Southern Cal
2:30 p.m. Saturday
Each of these teams has one Pac-10 loss and another means virtual elimination from the Rose Bowl race.
–Andrew Bagnato.
