Pass Interference Calls - Why Not Reviewable?
Just curious why pass interference calls are not reviewable? In the last two games, there have been a few huge OPI and DPI calls against us. These calls have either changed the game or have had the potential to change it.
I don't understand why they are not reviewable when it seems like plenty of other big, game-deciding plays are reviewable? These are massive momentum swings in as momentum-dominated of a sport as there is out there.
I have been here for a long-time and am not new to football, but I have never played outside of high school and we didn't exactly throw the ball much in our league so never really thought about this much. Just curious on the rationale and if better football minds can explain this.
October 27th, 2019 at 6:43 PM ^
Somewhat related question - why so many PI calls? It literally seems like every pass in college football has a PI call. I know that’s an exaggeration but goodness gracious. I wish I could say let the kids play but I know that’s not the answer either.
October 27th, 2019 at 6:57 PM ^
Defenders are being taught to grab and hold and how to get away with PI. Sometimes they don't.
October 27th, 2019 at 7:13 PM ^
On the flip side college is notorious for never calling holding except in the most obvious cases...but man the standard for holding in the NFL is ridiculously sensitive. I’ve complained about lack of holding calls before, but I don’t want it to look like what the NFL calls.
October 27th, 2019 at 6:50 PM ^
I think reviews have largely hurt the game. Yeah it fixes some egregious errors but also paralyzes refs who become afraid to make a call and then replay doesn't change it because its inconclusive. I think the NFL style is better where coaches have to challenge unless it's a score or turnover. It creates a dis-incentive for spurious challenges since they can lose a timeout. I think the NFL will get rid of the PI challenge rule as it is not working at all and is going to cost some team a big game - maybe in the playoffs.
October 27th, 2019 at 6:56 PM ^
Reviewing PI is probably the next step for video review. The CFL has been doing it for a couple years now and with so much at stake for multi-million dollar coaches at the college level I'd expect this discussion to ramp up soon.
October 27th, 2019 at 7:37 PM ^
Wouldn't it more sense to first expand to fouls with objective criteria like delay of game, too many players on the field and illegal man down field?
October 27th, 2019 at 7:10 PM ^
PI should never be reviewable. The NFL opened a can of worms and is trying to pretend they didn’t by not ever reversing the call on the field. As much as I hated that call on Saturday it would be far worse watching borderline calls be overturned by replay.
October 27th, 2019 at 7:24 PM ^
Video review should be used after the game to evaluate the calls. The evaluations should be used to retain good officials or terminate bad officials based on their weekly review.
October 27th, 2019 at 7:46 PM ^
Ref assignments ought to be determined by the teams involved. Teams rank order the crews they want reffing their games and this ranking is used to assign crews. Highest priority games get first choice. Priority of game is determined by ranking of teams involved. Those crews consistently left as the last pick or two get let go.
Poor Rutgers always gets O'Neil.
October 27th, 2019 at 11:01 PM ^
Agree. If the Big Ten conducted an honest review of calls like the PI on Hudson, told the refs involved that it was an egregiously bad call and had some sort of penalty system, that would probably be enough. By penalty system, I mean the first bad call is a written warning, the second is a one game suspension, the third is a five game suspension and the fourth is a one year suspension with go to ref school for a year, or something along those lines.
October 28th, 2019 at 8:14 AM ^
You remember the extremely controversial ref crew that worked the 2016 OSU game? The league sent those guys to ref in the playoffs. Maybe as a reward?
October 27th, 2019 at 7:53 PM ^
I believe PI should be reviewable on TDs and turnovers, since they are typically reviewing those plays anyway. When a receiver only gets a TD because he pushed off, he should be penalized for it. It's asinine (not to mention a little insulting) when officials see it on a replay and just ignore it with their fingers in their ears screaming "lalalalalalalala". Granted, this would only be a start to fixing the kind of horrible officiating that plays a much bigger role in deciding the outcomes of games than it should.
October 27th, 2019 at 7:57 PM ^
I think there needs to be less reviews during games. The uptick in reviews has increased the length of games in actual time and I can't stand it.
I would also prefer to see commercials run during reviews is possible and cut down on the dreaded ad-kickoff-ad sequences.
October 27th, 2019 at 8:35 PM ^
TV timeouts are far, far more responsible for the increase in game length than reviews, let's just be clear about that.
October 27th, 2019 at 8:26 PM ^
I'd like to see these calls be able to be reviewed off the field by a review referee with the caveat that the play clock does not stop. If the call isn't changed by the next snap then whatever is called on the field stands.
This way it doesn't affect gameplay unless something is changed. Instead of having until the snap to initiate the review it is to complete the review. Provided the very tight timeframe only the most obviously wrong calls will get overturned.
October 27th, 2019 at 8:29 PM ^
To add to that the only thing this review would cover is on ball penalties, so not only the most obvious but the most impactful get cleaned up.
October 27th, 2019 at 9:18 PM ^
I get what you are saying, but...
In this game, Michigan ran to the line and hiked the ball in an attempt to eliminate the review. Refs blew the whistle - after the snap - and said the previous play was under review. The dude in the sky was unsure, so he immediately called down to the ref. i.e. they negated your suggestion. It won’t happen all the time, but your rule might make the sky dude trigger happy.
October 27th, 2019 at 9:43 PM ^
important pass interference calls should be reviewable...but if they review and see another infraction (holding, etc), they should be able to call it.
offensive holding is another call, the refs could throw a flag for offensive holding almost every passing play (against a team w/ a decent pass rush) - i saw at least 3 fairly blatant holds ND got away with (including on their first TD pass) during Saturday's game
October 27th, 2019 at 10:17 PM ^
Because it’s not in the rule book. The NFL only just put it in this offseason solely because of the Rams/Saints game.
October 27th, 2019 at 10:45 PM ^
I don't get it either, caveat I know less about football than probably anyone here.
Even with the rule being different in the pros, it evidently doesn't make any difference.
EDIT: so the problem might be with the difficulty of the rule, and there might not be an easy fix using review.
October 27th, 2019 at 10:49 PM ^
They are reviewable/ challenge in the NFL, so...
October 27th, 2019 at 11:06 PM ^
Do you really think the game need more interruptions and delays for replay reviews? Less is more. Let’s go back to max two coaches challenges and that’s it. College football hardly has any flow as it is. Let’s not make a bad problem worse
October 27th, 2019 at 11:19 PM ^
Yes, we got screwed in back to back weeks. It should be a call that stays on the field.
Invest money to train them on the field.
October 28th, 2019 at 12:40 AM ^
There’s no reason every play can’t be reviewed by people watching the game on tv. We see more than the refs. Put a ear piece on the ref and tell him what happened with seconds of the play. He doesn’t need to move. He can just stand there and I’ll tell him what really happened. It would take no more than 15 seconds and the game can move on.
October 28th, 2019 at 8:04 AM ^
Not advocating every PI to be reviewed. Add it to a challenge list like the NFL did. Sometimes refs are in a bad position and they just miss the call. Coaches have video analysts up in the booth that will buzz down the gafs to be challenged. Might happen 1 or 2 times a game. Would add more integrity to game outcomes.