Instant replay??

[Blackshirt]

Looks like the Big Ten will be piloting instant replay in conference games this fall. I think this is great and long overdue. What do you guys think?

 

There wont be challenges, just an "official" using his judgement as to the need for IR.

 

A technical adviser, to be assigned by the Big Ten's officiating department , will judge the replays and be in contact with field officials. The technical adviser will have no contact with the televising network and will not be able to request specific plays or to request replays from specific angles. There will be no coaches' challenges as in the NFL.

 

 

By Reid Hanley

Tribune staff reporter

 

February 11, 2004, 11:13 PM CST

 

 

Big Ten football games are one step from getting a little longer but also perhaps less irritating.

 

The NCAA Football Rules Committee on Wednesday gave the conference permission to use instant replay on an experimental basis during Big Ten games next fall. Next, the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet will vote on the proposal before the season.

 

"I don't want to be presumptuous, because I don't want to presume the Competition Cabinet will approve it," said Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, who made the presentation to the Football Rules Committee with conference director of officials Dave Parry on Tuesday. "But I feel good that the rules committee has listened and supported us on it."

 

The Big Ten made the proposal to the NCAA after conducting a pilot program last season. In 68 games last fall, only 50 of 10,800 plays would have been reviewed, Delany said. Half of those rulings would have been overturned, Delany said, and half of the overturned calls "were critical."

 

All conference games will be played with the experimental rule, Delany said. In the rare instance that a conference game isn't televised, the conference will provide video equipment for replays. The rule would be optional for non-conference opponents in televised games.

 

"These are still human beings," Delany said of officials. "They are not going to be perfect. Our games are televised, technology is there and we think not explore it, not to experiment at a juncture like now would be not to take advantage of an opportunity that exists.

 

"My whole bit is where you have a controversial situation, it will give us some additional support. If we're wrong, we can right the wrong. If anyone expects the game to be perfect, that's not going to happen."

 

A technical adviser, to be assigned by the Big Ten's officiating department , will judge the replays and be in contact with field officials. The technical adviser will have no contact with the televising network and will not be able to request specific plays or to request replays from specific angles. There will be no coaches' challenges as in the NFL.

 

While the pilot program showed a small percentage of rulings would be overturned, there have been several memorable controversies in recent years. In 2002, Penn State coach Joe Paterno sprinted after officials after an overtime loss to Iowa at State College, Pa. The replay of his dash was shown many times across the nation and did nothing to enhance Paterno's image or that of Big Ten officiating.

 

Penn State athletic director Tim Curley subsequently called for a comprehensive review of Big Ten officiating. Conference coaches voted unanimously to adopt replay and athletic directors agreed with them last spring. The coaches reaffirmed their support during the American Football Coaches Association convention last month in Orlando.

 

Illinois has been the victim of admitted blown calls. In the 2000 season, TV replays showed that Michigan tailback Anthony Thomas, now with the Bears, apparently fumbled on the play immediately before scoring the winning touchdown in a 35-31 Michigan victory. Officials ruled no fumble had occurred. Earlier, Illinois running back Rocky Harvey's fumble shouldn't have been called. Conference officials acknowledged errors in officiating had occurred during the game.

 

"We'll have maybe three, four, five mistakes a game," Delany said. "Probably no more than a third of those are reviewable by rule. Even the ones that are reviewable, you're not going to flip unless the information you have is indisputable evidence."

 

The football rules committee also will pass on several proposals to the Competition Cabinet. Included are:

 

A recommendation that will require a referee, if equipped with a microphone, to announce the number of the player committing a foul.

 

"This is consistent with what is done in several sports and will also provide coaches with the information in a much more timely fashion," football rules committee chairman and Central Michigan athletic director Herb Deromedi said.

 

Stopping play immediately if the offensive team has made substitutions and then rushes to the line of scrimmage in an attempt to create an advantage.

Copyright © 2004, The Chicago Tribune

[RedCountry]

Im 4 it!! This would be nice to havin the big 12 too. Why not is what i ask??? I cant think of a reason. and dont give me "momentum" etc. gimme a break. tv timeouts kilt that a long time ago.

[AR Husker Fan]

Oddly enough, while I detest instant replay in the pros, I think that it's better suited to the college game.

 

Now, I'm not saying I'd like to have it in the college game - I wouldn't. The controversy of close calls is one of the joys of the game - arguing about a call after the games is just, to me, a part of the pagentry, if you will.

 

My reasons for thinking it's better in the college game goes to the level of abilities of the refs. I'm actually amazed at how often the pro refs get those hair-trigger, split-second, eye-blink calls right. Despite the protestations of pro coaches, it seems to me that instant replay has proven that the pro refs do a pretty good job. The funny thing is that this also demonstrates the fact that the pros don't really need instant replay - not often, anyway.

 

But the refs in the college game...that's a different story. While I think the majority are professional and do the best job they can, I think they lack the training that the pro refs have - and hence the need for it more in the college game than the pro game.

 

But I'd rather not have it at all...

[NU Era]

As long as it wasnt OVER used like it is in the NFL I think it would be okay. But yes like Dave said there are parts of the college game that make it great, and wouldnt want them to be like the NFL because that is what makes college sports so much better than pro!