Dabo Swinney reacts to controversial officiating move in Pittsburgh win

While the ACC officials on the Clemson–Pittsburgh game might’ve ultimately arrived at the correct call on a roughing the passer penalty against the Tigers, the process to get there was clumsy. And it’s something Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has never been a part of, he said.

To recap: A Clemson defender hit Pitt quarterback Nate Yarnell clearly in the face/head with his arm on a play, and the officials didn’t immediately throw a flag. While an injured player from that play was attended to, Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi got in the refs ears and, after discussion, a personal foul was called.

“I’ve never been a part of one, I’ve never been a part of that,” Swinney said after Clemson hung on for a win. “I was at Notre Dame in double overtime, when was that? 2020, when they reviewed the play, changed it, and then we’re getting ready to snap it and they reviewed the review. I remember the white hat guy at the time, he said ‘I’ve never been a part of it either.’ All he knew is they’re calling me from NASA or wherever they are. So I’d never been a part of that and I’ve never been a part of what were part of tonight. Never been a part of it.”

He also wasn’t quibbling with the call that was ultimately made, merely that it happened so long after the play.

“And listen, I’m not saying it was — they missed the call,” Swinney said. “It was a hands to the face. But you can’t review hands to the face. And if a guy is not hurt, I think the ball is probably snapped. I’ve never been part of that. I can’t wait to have a conversation on that one, for sure.”

And Swinney was not the only person with an incredulous reaction to the play.

Rules analyst Terry McAulay joined the fray calling out the crew. Hopping on social media, McAulay noted multiple faults with the play.

“Complete chaos,” McAulay said. “Obvious missed unnecessary roughness foul. Coach on the field arguing officiating decision is not penalized. Unnecessary roughness foul eventually called minutes later during injury timeout. None of this is acceptable.”

ESPN broadcaster Sean McDonough criticized the officials for not throwing a flag.

“I don’t know how they missed that. I mean it’s clear as a bell to everybody in the stadium,” Sean McDonough said of the no-call. “It’s just outrageous that there’s no flag on that play.”

However, after several minutes of discussion, a penalty flag was thrown for unnecessary roughness, leaving Swinney understandably unhappy.

McDonough didn’t like the way that was handled, either and referenced the Georgia vs. Texas game from a few weeks back.

“Yea, after discussion. After we look up and see it on the replay board and realize we missed it, we drop the flag,” McDonough said. “We now have officiating off scoreboards in stadiums.”