Officiating

Submitted by Maizen on

I hate to beat this drum to death but it seems to get worse and worse every year and it's hard not to think this is something specifically directed at Harbaugh. Blown calls from yesterday alone that all went against Michigan:

PI by Vert Hill in the endzone 

Wheel route on McCray that was a pick and led to a huge gain

Pick route on Brandon Watson/Ambry Thomas that converted a 3rd and short

Pick route on Watson/Kinnel that allowed their TD

Catch by Grant Perry that wasn't overturned

Targeting on Rashan Gary that still cost UM 15 yards

Cincy offsides that led to a sack

Horse collar on Ty issac

Defesive holding on Tarik Black that didn't get called.

And that's just what I can remember off the top of my head. Not to mention, Cincy wasn't called for a live ball penalty the entire game. Not holding, no PI, no nothing. That's incredible. UM didn't play great yesterday, but the officiating theme seems happen every week and I wonder at what point Warde has a talk with the league office because it's going to cost UM a game if it continues.

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Magnus

September 10th, 2017 at 11:29 AM ^

Have you missed the pick routes that Michigan runs, including the one that got Kekoa Crawford wide open against Florida last week (but that Speight threw way out of bounds)?

The only call that really annoys me from Saturday is the "incomplete" pass to Grant Perry that was reviewed and still ruled incomplete.

Joined: 07/17/2008

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XiX

September 10th, 2017 at 12:53 PM ^

These kinds of plays should have been called but, playing devil's advocate, I think they become subjective based on how UM plays press and how refs interpret the rule.

Typically, pick routes are called when a receiver intentionally stops or runs his route in order to run into a db trying to cover a guy but, in this instance, you have a receiver coming off the line right at the db in press.

Generally, in press man, there will be a lot of hand-fighting in the first few yds so I can see why a ref wouldn't necessarily see that as abnormal. HOWEVA, it was clear the receiver wasn't attempting to get out in coverage and was literally blocking the db. I hope Harbaugh sends these in the the B1G offices so that they can start looking at this.

It's a clever way of taking advantage of the inherent agressiveness of press coverage, I'll give them that.

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Cali's Goin' Blue

September 10th, 2017 at 1:30 PM ^

And the pick plays weren't any worse than Michigan's last week against Florida that weren't called. If you truly believe this is some conspiracy against Harbaugh you are the Maizen I have come to know and love. 

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Gulogulo37

September 10th, 2017 at 7:52 PM ^

Yeah, I understand the standard pick play. It's legal as long as you make a plausible attempt to run a route even if everyone knows what you're really doing. But what is remotely legal about driving straight into a CB? Maybe I just don't know the rule. You can't do that on a passing play, can you? You can't even come close to saying that guy is attempting to run a route.

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Jeff09

September 10th, 2017 at 2:07 PM ^

Eh, they were pretty egregious in this game, and while everyone runs them, a lot of folks get flagged for them as well (I remember a recent ND game, forgot which, in which they had a few plays called back for some pick routes). When you run these the WR has to at least run some semblance of a route - here they were clearly just blocking the whole way, and it should have been an obvious penalty. If you look at the play Michigan ran vs. UF that Speight overthrew, Peoples-Jones at least appears to be running a route, and doesn't obviously lay a block on anyone (hence the no call). Layer in the Perry non-catch and a few others and I thought we got the short end of the stick this week. Still - even with that stuff we shouldn't have been in a dogfight with what will probably be a bottom 20 type team in FBS this year.

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J.

September 10th, 2017 at 12:39 PM ^

The call against Hill was borderline, but it was pass interference.  He had a fistful of jersey.  Of course, later in the game, when Cincinnati's guy got a fistful of jersey, no flag.

Gary was not late.  The QB released the ball at the same time that Gary took his last stride.  I guess he was supposed to stop in midair?

As for the pick routes -- look, if they want to allow receivers to block five yards downfield, then put it into the rulebook.  "Everybody does it" is not an excuse.  It's possible that Michigan committed OPI on that play against Florida -- it was close.  It's 100% definite that Cincinnati committed OPI on several plays; I noticed two of the three that Maizen mentioned just watching live.  Heck, Brock Huard even noticed one, then proceeded to blame Michigan for being aggressive and initiating the contact.  (Cut to replay showing Cincinnati's receiver simply throwing a block... crickets).  (I noticed the offsides on the sack too, although that was close and it wasn't the player who was offsides that made the sack).

I don't know whether or not it's due to general incompetence, Harbaugh's sidelne histrionics, or what, but Michigan is 22-6 since he's arrived; two of the losses can be attributed directly to poor officiating (vs MSU, @OSU), and you could make a case for a third (@Iowa).  Perhaps I'm simply blanking on them, but I can't think of any of those 22 wins that were officials' gifts.

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The Baughz

September 10th, 2017 at 1:11 PM ^

In 2017 that's a penalty. It sucks, but that's where we are in today's game. It wasnt an obvious late hit, but I didn't think it was a terrible call. Not compared to some of the others.

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I Like Burgers

September 10th, 2017 at 11:42 AM ^

I don't remember the exact play during the CIncy game, but I definitely remember lip reading one of the Cincy coaches screaming THATS A FUCKING PICK!! at one of the refs.

Also, complaining about pick routes not getting called is up there with complaining about them not calling holding.  Happens a lot, almost never gets called unless its super egregious.

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FreddieMercuryHayes

September 10th, 2017 at 11:46 AM ^

Pick routes are fine and not illegal. What is illegal is what UC did where they straight blocked like it was a screen pass, but then all went across the LOS. The one that got Crawford free was just a well run pick route. No one on that route straight ran to the DB and blocked him like a guard blocks a LB.

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YaterSalad

September 10th, 2017 at 12:04 PM ^

Agree Magnus. It seems like officials, this year in particular, are having issues with (1) interpreting targeting and (2) possession after catch. It's not a Michigan specific thing. Last night in the Okla vs OSU game there was an INT in the endzone botched - not even video reviewed - and a sideline pass that had to be overturned. It seems to me the best idea would be to rule for the receiver. You can always video review to see if it was bobbled or out of bounds. By calling the borderline ones incomplete you make the concept of "indisputable video evidence" hard to overcome. It's like a fumble - rule it as such because not doing so blows the play dead. At least this guys opinion.

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outwest

September 10th, 2017 at 11:57 PM ^

I have no idea if this is even possible, but it seems like removing all knowledge of what is happening on the field might help.  Have the reviewer be offsite with no knowledge of score, time in the game, ect. and just have them watch the play and make a call.  

I also think officiating is bad because it is bad, but it also has never been scrutinized more.  With everyone watching at home in HD and with social media showing every possible error is it getting worse, or just more noticeable?  With that being said, when everyone in America knows the correct call, but the review still gets it wrong, that needs to be fixed.  

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Maizen

September 10th, 2017 at 12:45 PM ^

Have you missed the part where pick routes are illegal? Either change the rules or call them penalties, but accepting them because everyone does it is a terrible excuse. And FTR the Cincy guys weren't even picking, they were straight up blocking right at the snap. And your characterization of DPJ picking a Cincy player on Crawford's TD is baffling. He didn't even touch the guy. Get real.

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bcnihao

September 10th, 2017 at 2:27 PM ^

Well, about Crawford's route against Florida--is it really a pick play if the defenders run into each other, without either of them being subjected to contact with the "pick" receiver?  Can't find the video of the play at the moment, but I thought that's what happened.

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XiX

September 10th, 2017 at 3:12 PM ^

It's not a pick as it's not an offense's job to prevent defenders from running into each other.

Edit: Let me clarify. The routes were designed to cause the defenders to get in each other's way if they're in man coverage and not communicating effectively but, as for an actual illegal pick that should be flagged, no.

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Kevin13

September 11th, 2017 at 9:37 AM ^

Michigan runs the same type of pass paterns every week. I don't think there is some conspriacy against UM or Harbaugh.  The Grant Perry pass was tough to overturn. It looks like he got his hand under the pass, but from the behind angle it looks like the football could've touched the ground. Just not enough evidence to overturn the call.

What really bothered me on that pass is that Speight even through it to Grant who was well covered and 5 yards to Perry's right Crawford was wide open for an easy first down.

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Gucci Mane

September 10th, 2017 at 11:30 AM ^

It blows my mind that major college football uses part time refs. They can easily afford to have people who only ref.

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bluewave720

September 10th, 2017 at 12:01 PM ^

You have them train, condition, watch film, and find ways to get better.  On one hand, I realize that sounds ridiculous.  On the other, like, doing everything imaginable to avoid blowing calls would actually be very good for the sport. 

It would certainly help make them more accountable for their mistakes.

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maizenblue1971

September 10th, 2017 at 11:34 AM ^

judge on michigan sideline. player pulled on the back neck of our rb, but let go, I guess. Just before that had a hold on a wr with ball thrown to him. could see his jersey pulled. I don't think it is against harbaugh, just incompetence.

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