Pac-10 Suspends Official for Missing Obvious Facemasking Call

The Pac-10 has suspended one of its officials for failing to throw a flag on a facemasking penalty committed by USC safety Taylor Mays on Oregon State receiver James Rodgers, the latest in a long line of high-profile missed calls by college football officials this year.

"We have taken this action in light of the blatant and dangerous nature of the missed call," Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement. "We have full confidence in our highly trained and qualified staff of football officials, but they, like the coaches and players, are accountable and must meet the high expectations placed upon them."

Although Mays obviously should have been flagged, it's surprising that the Pac-10 is reacting so harshly as to suspend the official (who hasn't been named publicly). Missed calls happen every Saturday, and suspensions of officials are rare.

But this official had the misfortune of missing a call on a big play during a game that was broadcast on network television, and of having his missed call replayed several times while the announcers questioned what the official was thinking. That kind of bad publicity forced the conference to act, just as bad publicity about missed calls in this season's Florida-Arkansas game forced the SEC to suspend the officiating crew that worked the game.

Mays is a hard hitter who has been called for a number of personal foul penalties. But he's also one of the best defensive players in the country, and he said it was important to him that people know he's not a dirty player.

"I didn't mean to rip the dude's helmet off," Mays told the Los Angeles Times. "Right after it happened, I got up and said, 'Hey, I wasn't trying to be dirty.' ...That's how I understand the game is to be played -- it's physical," Mays said. "I'm not trying to hurt anybody. I'm just trying to hit somebody as hard as I can."

And the Pac-10 is just trying to crack down on a problem that is plaguing college football.

Video via The Wiz of Odds.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-27-2009 @ 7:41AM

Pat H. said...

Taylor Mays ripped the helmet off Robby Parris vs. ND not once , but twice. A penalty was called the second time but not the first time. So he seems to have a pattern of ripping off the opponents helmets. I think it's an intimidation thing and needs to be stopped.

10-27-2009 @ 7:52AM

Tasso Paris said...

What's new ..USC continues to play DIRTY football.

10-27-2009 @ 10:14AM

njfishingcreek said...

What about suspending Mays. He doesn't even see that he did anything wrong. If the program at USC had any integrity they would discipline him.

10-27-2009 @ 12:25PM

dino said...

I didn't see a facemask. It looks like he tried to legally clothesline the guy and his arm hit the facemask and knocked the helmet off. I think it is a good call and ridiculous of the PAC10 to suspend the ref. (I hate USC by the way)

10-27-2009 @ 2:24PM

majicczone said...

clothesline tackles are illegal as well

10-28-2009 @ 9:56AM

They must have outlawed the clothesline tackle in the past week. I must have missed that.

10-27-2009 @ 3:54PM

ashleigh said...

Well, they should suspend all officiating and all football teams, because I see blatant horrible penalty-worthy moves made all the time, most especially perpetrated against USC, but really all schools make bad plays weekly, and plenty of refs never make the call!! It happens every week on every team, on every channel I watch college football on... In that very game in question, there was a vicious late hit on Barkley by TWO players, well after the ball was thrown, one speared him with their helmut under his chin, while the other slammed him into his injured shoulder, & the ref just watched! So the idiots who want to say only USC is the only team who commits football infractions, they have lost what little is left of their minds! ALL teams, especially Notre Dame & Cal and Texas & Oklahoma, and, and, and, they ALL commit infractions, and most of the time, the refs are too stupid to see it or call it (or they're paid off not to)... So get a grip, and understand that it's not just USC who is the only team ever at fault... Puh-leez!

10-27-2009 @ 9:02PM

tdudz said...

USC, FLORIDA and ALABAMA games have refs blowing calls. Do anyone really think Cincy, TCU, or Boise State have a chance to play in the BCS titile game. Not freakin chance in hell!!!

10-28-2009 @ 6:25PM

Jerry said...

I agree, the powers that be must keep the big names in line for title game. It's been especially bad in the SEC. The officials are ensuring that Alabama and Florida will play for the title....HUGE TV revenue for that game

10-28-2009 @ 3:24PM

Ilwaco said...

Boise can play in the BCS just as soon as they finish playing all the high schools they schedule.

10-29-2009 @ 7:52AM

rtdougherty said...

I agree just look at the blown call at the end of the Alabama game against Miss St when Terrencs Cody took his Helmet off in the field of play.

10-29-2009 @ 12:23PM

It wasn't a blown call.

10-29-2009 @ 5:02PM

DVMEPL said...

pretty clear it was a clothesline. clotheslines are illegal tackles. penalty. during the clothesline tackle you can see that mays wraps his fingers around the facemask of the receiver. facemasks are illegal. penalty. where is the argument dino