Coach Harbaugh thinks Nebraska's first TD may have been illegal
I am going to have to rewatch this to see if I can figure out what he is referring to. But some evidence that the officiating wasn't all in Michigan's favor.
Jim Harbaugh blasts Nebraska, alleges ‘intent to deceive’ (yahoo.com)
“It was an illegal formation from what I saw on the field. I was wondering who they were putting on the line of scrimmage when they had five in the backfield and they told me the guy they put on the line of scrimmage. They said, ‘Well, he released on a pass!’ Anyway, that’s the way I saw it. It was either illegal that he was not on the line of scrimmage or, if that’s who they put, the No. 3 receiver on the line of scrimmage, he can’t release downfield on a pass. At that particular time, that’s what I was trying to argue about.”
October 10th, 2021 at 11:13 PM ^
5 in the backfield on that play. Completely illegal. Both refs on each side missed it.
Illegal formation. Does not matter who released on the play.
Ref on the trips side with RB and TE should have seen it. The other on the field side should have notcied a tackle was uncovered (which is not illegal) But when A ref sees that should be on the alert for something odd.
Intentional Probably not... Most likely one of the trip wide wr was supposed be on the line, and wasn't making the wr inside him ineligible.
October 11th, 2021 at 9:35 AM ^
"Most likely one of the trip wide wr was supposed be on the line"
All of them ran downfield didn't they?
October 11th, 2021 at 10:44 AM ^
The 2nd receiver was on the line, the formation was just bad. The only way to fix it would be to move one receiver or the TE to the other side of the line and on the line. I don't see how this was not intentional, unless someone lined up on the wrong side of the field, in which case a coach should've noticed.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:18 PM ^
Nebraska pulled a ton of bullshit in this game. They were getting away with it until Harbaugh voiced his complaints. It's crazy to think that Michigan shook all that off, and an intense crowd, and came away with the W. We just haven't won those types of games under Harbaugh but we did last night. Hats off.
October 11th, 2021 at 1:25 AM ^
After watching the 60 Min replay on BTN, and looking for this stuff, and finding this crap, I came away with a bad impression of the cut of Scott Frost's jib.
October 11th, 2021 at 7:46 AM ^
I wouldn't call that play "BS that Nebraska pulled". Nobody runs an illegal formation and hopes the refs will miss it. Someone on their team lined up wrong, and they got lucky when the officials didn't notice.
October 11th, 2021 at 9:45 AM ^
I don't know. Seth pointed this out on Twitter, and also noted that defenses tend to look at odd formations and reckon the innermost guy is ineligible. IOW Michigan's behavior in letting Allen go down the field uncovered was predictable.
October 11th, 2021 at 11:06 AM ^
The only way someone would've lined up wrong is if they were on the complete opposite side of the formation (the TE or a WR would have to have been on the other side of the line, and on the LOS for it to be legal). That's a much bigger mistake than just be on/off the LOS, I don't think I've ever seen someone make that mistake since it's dictated by the formation called in the huddle.
October 11th, 2021 at 7:52 AM ^
I remember at one point in the 2nd half, there was a play that was overturned in our favor. And when they cut to Harbaugh, he was still yelling at the refs. And I thought, "He's back!"
October 11th, 2021 at 9:10 AM ^
Harbaugh had to call a time out to review a play, which called our RB down before the 1st down maker, he was screaming "REVIEW THE PLAY". And they did - First Down Michigan. We needed that reversal. Getting our time out back was icing on the cake.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:22 PM ^
This is a fired up Harbaugh. Feels like the first year he got here. Cade was right. It is different. Something good is cooking. Can't wait for MSU.
October 11th, 2021 at 12:05 AM ^
Can't wait for him to schedule a sleepover at Walter Nolen's house.
October 11th, 2021 at 1:21 AM ^
That didn't work out so good with Quin Nordin.
October 11th, 2021 at 1:41 AM ^
I mean it landed Nordin, who has gone on to be an NFL kicker.
October 11th, 2021 at 2:54 AM ^
Jumping in the pool with Oliver Martin was fun - and worked out well, in a weird and convoluted way
October 10th, 2021 at 11:39 PM ^
Yeah I wondered how they suddenly turned it on in the 2nd half. Would not be surprised if more than one of their well drawn up plays was actually illegal. Anyone who says we benefitted most from the horrible officiating is a troll or homer because we got screwed as much as Nebraska did. Pretty sure Aiden was held left and right and got zero calls for it.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:49 PM ^
I thought Nebraska's last TD was also bullshit.
Nebraska made a late substitution right before the play. After an offensive substitution, the refs are supposed to hold the ball to give the defense time to substitute and get lined up.
But, i suppose because it was so late in the clock, the ref basically ran off while Michigan's subs were still running on to the field and never had a chance to get lined up.
October 11th, 2021 at 12:02 AM ^
Yeah I noticed that one too. Refs did Nebraska a huge favor.
October 11th, 2021 at 12:05 AM ^
This came up in the podcast. If refs are going to be too scared to properly do their job and hold the snap for the D to get set (most recent version of rule) then the rule needs further “evolution” - maybe any substitutions started with 10 seconds on the play clock is an illegal substitution penalty.
Frost was 100% doing that on purpose to have the D not set and assuming the refs wouldn’t hold the snap.
October 11th, 2021 at 12:35 AM ^
It's even more maddening because I remember the refs holding the ball when we were on offense, once for several seconds so Nebraska could substitute. That shows they knew the rule.
October 11th, 2021 at 12:53 AM ^
Yeah, I noticed the same thing the second that it happened. Michigan subbed and they gave nebraska ALL DAY to set up.
Nebraska subs and the guy was running out of the way the second the Michigan players were somewhat near the LOS.
This officiating job was garbage, and, imo, further proof of the absolute corruption of the sport.
October 12th, 2021 at 1:39 PM ^
It's a bit subjective....
From the NCAA rules manual on substitutions -
"When Team A has completed its offensive formation, Team B must promptly position its personnel. Team B will be allowed time to complete substitutions."
After an offensive substitution, the refs are supposed to hold the ball to give the defense time to substitute and get lined up - as long as the defense gets line up "promptly".
The defense doesn't just get to wander around the field forever making the offense wait for them to get aligned.
October 11th, 2021 at 1:52 AM ^
Yeah, the officiating was bad but Nebraska fans are delusional for thinking it was one-sided.
- Illegal formation on their first touchdown
- Uncalled offsides (DE #2) on Cade's INT. It's close, but #2 clearly jumps early and his helmet was fully past the neutral zone by the time of the snap
- Multiple missed claps by their DL, which should have been called defensive delay of games. We got one call, but they did it several times and caused a BS false start on our first drive
- Failing to hold the snap on their substitutions (most consequentially on their last TD)
And a side note, not blowing the whistle on Martinez's fumble was absolutely the right call. His progress was slowed, and maybe even stopped for a half second, but the officials always let a pile-push stall for a couple seconds before blowing it dead. Watching highlights there were many instances where a Michigan runner's forward progress was stopped, and the refs properly waited a couple seconds before blowing it dead, so they were being consistent.
October 11th, 2021 at 7:20 AM ^
Yeah, but Haskins got a couple more yards before they blew the whistle, further proving the refs are corrupt! Somehow.
October 11th, 2021 at 7:23 AM ^
Your last point is spot on. I’ve seen games where the Martinez fumble was called dead, but in the frame of that game it was consistent with how other “lurching scrums” were called.
Minor gripe but the fumble/incomplete call on the field was terrible. I could tell in real time there was no way that was going to stay a fumble. I suppose it’s better to call it that way if in doubt though because it is easily reviewable.
October 11th, 2021 at 8:54 AM ^
this was a ROUGH day for this crew, went both ways. Is this the new ONeill crew now that ONeil et al had (checks notes) one good week?
October 11th, 2021 at 11:33 AM ^
Even on their “good week” they missed a clear Michigan touchdown. The bar is quite low.
October 11th, 2021 at 9:18 AM ^
Lol. The RG is out of his stance in this frame. It was a false start on Michigan
October 11th, 2021 at 9:42 AM ^
EDIT: Nevermind.
October 11th, 2021 at 11:15 AM ^
Forget to sign out and back in as Streetchemist?
October 11th, 2021 at 1:12 PM ^
No I thought he said RT not RG, in which case it was induced by the guy jumping offsides. The RG did go slightly early, but within the time that's usually given a pass by refs.
Also, I've been around here too long to be anyone's alt, lol.
October 11th, 2021 at 11:16 AM ^
Dammit.
October 11th, 2021 at 11:31 AM ^
Maybe this will help you.... Photo not as clean, but the RG is still in his stance. He reacted to #2 jumping. Further evidence that it should have been blown dead and Nebraska should have been called for offsides....
October 11th, 2021 at 11:40 AM ^
???? He’s literally not in his stance in this photo.
October 11th, 2021 at 1:26 PM ^
The RG is between the center and the RT. You know, the guy in the middle, half standing up.
I would question if the tackles might be a little too far off the LoS, though. I know that's a close call, but they're almost in the backfield (especially Hayes)...
October 11th, 2021 at 1:33 PM ^
Either way the int should not have happened. False start or offsides. Live I thought it was a false start but the Nebraska dline is well offsides. Their should have been a penalty one way or the other.
October 11th, 2021 at 8:54 AM ^
That actually should have been a false start on Cade's pick, the our guard moves first.
October 11th, 2021 at 9:16 AM ^
You need to rewatch Cade’s interception play. It wasn’t offsides on Nebraska. The DE is clearly reacting to Michigans RG (whoever it was at this point, Barnhart?) jumping before the snap. So it should have been a false start on Michigan blowing the play dead.
October 11th, 2021 at 10:12 AM ^
So we are in agreement, a false start or offsides should've still been Michigan ball. It was a tactical false start. *shakes fist at refs
October 11th, 2021 at 9:41 AM ^
Nebraska and MSU fans are especially mad about the Sainristil catch which they claim hit the ground, but the replay clearly shows it never hit the ground
October 10th, 2021 at 11:42 PM ^
This is a level of energy and intensity we have not seen from Harbaugh in quite some time.
I am cautiously optimistic this bodes well for the remainder of the season and several years to come.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:47 PM ^
It was.
October 10th, 2021 at 11:49 PM ^
Would like nothing more than to have this guy back.
October 11th, 2021 at 12:07 AM ^
"That's right Frosty. Your mom invited me in and we did all kinds of stuff."
October 11th, 2021 at 12:18 AM ^
The whole fist?
October 10th, 2021 at 11:53 PM ^
Digress. Bring back the blue pants for MSU. FOR THE LOVE OF G-D