[CTcard]

Well..  Larry Scott had the final word today.  He said two of the three calls should not have been reversed due to lack of indisputable evidence. 

Interestingly, there seems to be no place on the Pac 12 web site where they actually post such an announcement - at least that I can find. I guess they have sent it out to media outlets. Somehow I would think that if they bother to do this they would want an official version available to everyone.

The following seems to be the text of the statement.

The Pac-12 Conference acknowledged that its instant replay crew made two errors in the Stanford-California game Saturday, November 22, Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott announced today.

During a California possession late in the third quarter, the instant replay crew reviewed three consecutive on-field touchdown calls by the game officials on one California offensive possession.

The NCAA Playing Rules state that to reverse an on-field ruling, the replay official must be convinced beyond all doubt by indisputable video evidence.

Through the Conference’s officiating and game management review process, it was determined that there was not enough evidence through video replay for the instant replay crew to overturn the second and third touchdown calls made by the officials on the field.

The replay crew will be held accountable for the errors through the Conference’s disciplinary process.

First of all, while I think it was pretty clear that they did not score on the second play in question, the fact that there was no TV-shot down the goal line probably means there wasn't indisputatble evidence.

The third one is technically interesting. The replays are completely clear about what happened, there is simply a judgement call as to whether Lawler made a "football move" before hitting the ground and dropping the ball or if he just fell into the end zone. There is no lack of evidence on the play, just a call to be made. Given that the spirit of replay review is to not overturn a call on the field unless one must, I can see that perhaps it should not have been overturned. However, given the rule as written and as practiced recently the call is in line with the current standard.

By the way, here is the example in the NCAA's "Instant Replay Casebook" that the officials used,

28. Pass in the end zone
First and goal on the B-5. A80 leaps and clearly controls a pass while airborne in the end zone. He is going to the ground and loses the ball as his body hits in the end zone. Officials rule TD.
RULING:
Reviewable play, regarding whether pass was complete. Reverse to incomplete pass, A 2-Goal on B-5 (Rule 12-3-2-a)

and further,

If there is any question of whether the catch has been completed, if he goes to the ground during the process of the catch and loses the ball, whether on his own or due to contact by an opponent, then the pass is incomplete (Rule 12-3-2-a).

http://www.ncaapublications.com/productd.../FBC14.pdf p.18

[I also note that this is pretty high up on the most-hated and least-understood rules list. It doesn't make sense to most fans that a player can apparently have good control of the ball then lose the reception because of what happens when he hits the ground - the whole "ground can't cause a fumble" bit, even though we're not talking about a fumble here. Still, that's the rule.]

Finally, I think any necessary discipline for officials is best handled internally. I don't see where announcements like this do any good and makes the Pac 12 authorities seem overly PR-concious.

[CTcard]

Well..  Larry Scott had the final word today.  He said two of the three calls should not have been reversed due to lack of indisputable evidence. 

Interestingly, there seems to be no place on the Pac 12 web site where they actually post such an announcement - at least that I can find. I guess they have sent it out to media outlets. Somehow I would think that if they bother to do this they would want an official version available to everyone.

The following seems to be the text of the statement.

The Pac-12 Conference acknowledged that its instant replay crew made two errors in the Stanford-California game Saturday, November 22, Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott announced today.

During a California possession late in the third quarter, the instant replay crew reviewed three consecutive on-field touchdown calls by the game officials on one California offensive possession.

The NCAA Playing Rules state that to reverse an on-field ruling, the replay official must be convinced beyond all doubt by indisputable video evidence.

Through the Conference’s officiating and game management review process, it was determined that there was not enough evidence through video replay for the instant replay crew to overturn the second and third touchdown calls made by the officials on the field.

The replay crew will be held accountable for the errors through the Conference’s disciplinary process.

First of all, while I think it was pretty clear that they did not score on the second play in question, the fact that there was no TV-shot down the goal line probably means there wasn't indisputatble evidence.

The third one is technically interesting. The replays are completely clear about what happened, there is simply a judgement call as to whether Lawler made a "football move" before hitting the ground and dropping the ball or if he just fell into the end zone. There is no lack of evidence on the play, just a call to be made. Given that the spirit of replay review is to not overturn a call on the field unless one must, I can see that perhaps it should not have been overturned. However, given the rule as written and as practiced recently the call is in line with the current standard.

By the way, here is the example in the NCAA's "Instant Replay Casebook" that the officials used,

28. Pass in the end zone
First and goal on the B-5. A80 leaps and clearly controls a pass while airborne in the end zone. He is going to the ground and loses the ball as his body hits in the end zone. Officials rule TD.
RULING:
Reviewable play, regarding whether pass was complete. Reverse to incomplete pass, A 2-Goal on B-5 (Rule 12-3-2-a)

and further,

If there is any question of whether the catch has been completed, if he goes to the ground during the process of the catch and loses the ball, whether on his own or due to contact by an opponent, then the pass is incomplete (Rule 12-3-2-a).

http://www.ncaapublications.com/productd.../FBC14.pdf p.18

[I also note that this is pretty high up on the most-hated and least-understood rules list. It doesn't make sense to most fans that a player can apparently have good control of the ball then lose the reception because of what happens when he hits the ground - the whole "ground can't cause a fumble" bit, even though we're not talking about a fumble here. Still, that's the rule.]

Finally, I think any necessary discipline for officials is best handled internally. I don't see where announcements like this do any good and makes the Pac 12 authorities seem overly PR-concious.