National Coordinator of Officials explains no-call on questionable Penn State hit, other plays

It has been a wild college football season and last weekend was no different. There were some crazy games and some questionable calls that left some coaches happy and others upset.

National Coordinator of Officials Steve Shaw broke down several plays from last weekend on a video posted by the SEC, including a couple of plays from the Penn State vs. Minnesota game.

Here is a recap of some of the plays that were highlighted by Shaw, starting with UCLA being called for three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties at one time against USC. The three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties came at the end of the first half and forced the Bruins to kick off from their own five-yard line to start the second half.

Steve Shaw explained that had one more unsportsmanlike penalty been called, we would have seen a rule used that is rarely enforced.

“Now, this is very unusual, a kickoff from the five-yard line. But, if there would have been a fourth unsportsmanlike conduct foul, it would have invoked one of the least-known rules in NCAA football. And this rule states that no penalty may extend the team’s restraining line behind its 5-yard line on a free kick,” Shaw said. “And so, if we would have extended behind the 5-yard line, then that 15-yard penalty would be enforced from the next succeeding spot after the kickoff.”

Steve Shaw also discussed a couple of plays in the Penn State vs. Minnesota game. The first one he highlighted was Minnesota blocking an extra point attempt by Penn State and returning it for two points.

Penn State was looking to tie the game at 17-17. Instead, Minnesota extended its lead to 19-16. Shaw broke down the different options for how each team can score on a try after a touchdown.

“This is a good time to review scoring on an extra point. We know that even though the offense was lined up for a one-point try here, the touchdown by the defense counts two points,” Shaw said. “Scoring on the try as if either team scores a touchdown, then that team gets two points. If the offense scores a field goal, as they were trying here, they get one point. And if either team were to score a safety, it would count only one point, not the usual two points a safety scores in regular play.”

Finally, Shaw broke down a big hit in the Penn State game by Nittany Lions safety Jaylen Reed. The senior blasted Minnesota receiver Daniel Jackson. The Golden Gophers wanted targeting called, but Shaw explained why the no-call was correct.

“As we go back and look at the replay, we see receiver No. 9, he is defenseless, and there is forcible contact to the head or neck area by the defender,” Shaw said. “But as we look at the action by No. 1, there is no indicator of targeting here. In fact, we can see from the end zone that there’s no launch. The defender’s head is up. And really the defender is playing the ball. So even though there’s forcible contact here this is not targeting.”