Teel Time: In wake of Sugar Bowl controversy, Virginia Tech AD calls for second replay official
By David Teel
3:42 p.m. EST, January 24, 2012
Virginia Tech athletic director Jim Weaver wants to add a second replay official for conference title and Bowl Championship Series games, an idea that ACC supervisor of officials Doug Rhoads believes “has merit.”
Weaver crafted the proposal shortly after Tech’s 23-20 overtime loss to Michigan in the Sugar Bowl earlier this month. On third down of the Hokies’ overtime possession, replay official Jim Fogltance, part of the Pacific 12 Conference crew assigned to the game, overturned a Logan Thomas-to-Danny Coale touchdown pass.
Pacific-12 Conference Field judge Kevin Kieser called Coale’s sprawling end-zone catch good, but Fogltance ruled Coale did not have possession.
Tech’s Justin Myer then pushed a 37-yard field goal wide right, his first miss in five attempts that night. Michigan subsequently won on Brendan Gibbons’ 37-yarder.
Weaver and Rhoads said the overturn was unwarranted, given replay’s “indisputable video evidence” standard.
If two replay official were employed, both would have to agree on overturning a call.
“I want to make sure we’re not taking anything away from the University of Michigan,” Weaver said. “That’s not the intent. The intent is to get the best use of replay that we can. …
“I totally realize that had the call been upheld, that does not guarantee Virginia Tech wins the game because Michigan had to have its offensive series. But at least it would have recognized a legitimate touchdown.
“I think it’s wrong for fans and young people to be hurt like that.”
Weaver watched the game from a box at the Superdome’s mezzanine level. He said he couldn’t tell in real time whether Coale caught the pass in question, but that after watching replays was convinced the call would be upheld.
“Indisputable is a high standard,” Rhoads said. “If you don’t know, then you know, and you stay with the call on the field. The philosophy of replay is, it’s right on the field. That’s where the heart of the game is still played. …
“Had they ruled it incomplete, it should have stayed incomplete. I saw nothing that rose to the level of indisputable.”
Weaver shared his idea of two replay officials with Rhoads, who plans to discuss it this winter with the NCAA and colleagues in other conferences.
“It would be an extra set of eyes, like a co-pilot,” Rhoads said. “It’s an idea I would like to see discussed and an idea that I think has merit. I’m just not convinced enough yet to say I endorse it.”
College football adopted instant replay six years ago, and this season ACC games were stopped 176 times for reviews, Rhoads said. There were 46 reversals, a rate of 26.1 percent.
The three most common reviews, Rhoads said, are catch-no catch, scoring plays (breaking the plane) and fumble-no fumble. Those three situations prompt 75 percent of stoppages, according to Rhoads.
Weaver said that adding a second replay official for all Bowl Subdivision regular-season games might be cost prohibitive. But he considers conference title games and the BCS too important to be left to one replay arbiter.
All BCS games may carry additional weight if a “plus-one” model is adopted. Such a plan would take the top two teams after the BCS and pair them in a national championship contest.
“What we need to get to is what is fair to our student-athletes and fans,” Weaver said. “Some attention needs to be given to the issue, and I intend on moving it forward.”
