National Coordinator of Officials breaks down controversial fair catch in Nebraska-Illinois game

With 8:16 remaining in the third quarter last week, Nebraska made a field goal to extend its lead to 20-7 over Illinois in Champaign. On the ensuing kickoff, Fighting Illini returner Kenari Wilcher took the ball out after appearing to call a fair catch, and the officials blew the play dead and placed the ball at the 25-yard line.

There appeared to be some confusion about what Wilcher did. According to Steve Shaw, the NCAA’s National Coordinator of Officials, Wilcher didn’t make a true “fair catch” signal. As a result, it was a touchback and Illinois started the drive at its own 25-yard line.

Shaw broke down the play during his review of notable calls earlier this week.

“As we go back and take a look at the return man in isolation, we see that he gives a signal — it’s not a very good signal. And really, it’s considered an invalid fair catch signal. It’s a signal that does not meet the definition of a valid fair catch signal,” Shaw said. “A valid fair catch signal requires a receiver to extend one hand clearly above their head and wave the hand from side to side. So this doesn’t meet the requirements of a valid signal.

“So it’s an invalid signal. An invalid signal still deprives the receiving team of the opportunity to advance the ball, and they do not get the protection from being blocked or tackled as they do on a valid fair catch signal. But on a free kick, with a valid or invalid signal, if the receiver completes the catch, they can still put the ball in play just like a touchback at the 25-yard line.”

On the drive, Illinois didn’t get much going. The Fighting Illini went -10 yards as they went 3-and-out as they eventually fell to the Cornhuskers 20-7. The loss dropped Illinois to 0-3 in Big Ten play while Nebraska got its first conference victory of the Matt Rhule era in Lincoln.

Officiating was a topic of conversation after the game, too. Rhule called out the officials regarding penalties called against Nebraska when Illinois was yelling “move” and “stem” during the cadence.

“I was really, really upset with the officials tonight,” Rhule said. “And I never talk about officiating. But I just want make sure I defend my team. For the second week in a row, that team came out and was just yelling ‘move’ and ‘stem’ and you’re not supposed to be able to do that, as far as I know. I call the league, they say you can’t do that. We’re not a sloppy team, okay? We’re not a sloppy team. That is not football to me. I’m not faulting Illinois for doing it. If they say you can do it, you can do it.

“Now, after about the third or fourth time, I was like, at what point are we going to figure it out, guys? … Our guys are just trying to play football. They’re yelling ‘move’ and ‘stem’ and the D-line is stemming. I’ve asked if it’s legal. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. I don’t know. But I just want to make sure I defend my guys. So I’m not criticizing the officials as much as I’m saying, they they weren’t just jumping offsides. They were hearing the cadence and … they’re yelling ‘move’ and we’re jumping.”