There was going to be enough discussion about Pac-10 conference officials with Oklahoma facing a team from the league for the first time since the Oregon debacle in 2006.
But when the Sooners face Washington at 6:45 p.m. Saturday at Husky Stadium, they won’t be the only group holding a grudge against an officiating crew from the conference.
The Huskies (0-2) are coming off a heartbreaking loss to BYU last Saturday that included a very questionable call at the end.
The source of controversy came after Washington quarterback Jake Locker scored on a 3-yard run with 2 seconds left in regulation to make the score 28-27. Locker was flagged for 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after he flipped the ball over his head into the air and began celebrating with his teammates. The fling drew a flag for excessive celebration.
BYU blocked the kick that would have sent the game into overtime.
Monday, Locker said he still can’t believe the penalty was on him.
“To be totally honest I didn’t even realize I had done it at the time,” he said. “I got to the sideline and heard the official say there was an unsportsmanlike penalty and I was like, ‘Who was that on? They must have done something stupid.’ Then he said it was on No. 10, and I was like, ‘Gosh, what did I do?’”
According to the rules, players are supposed to hand the ball to an official after each play or set it down within reasonable proximity of the spot.
Locker’s toss violated the rule, but Washington coach Tyrone Willingham is irritated the officials didn’t use some discretion, considering the circumstances.
“It’s an opportunity to use discretion and it was not used. The proper judgment was not used,” he said. “That was not an act of a young man taunting. That was not an unsportmanlike act at all and therefore it should have been viewed in its totality and not just in the letter of the law.”
OU still has some players who know what’s it’s like for a game to come down to an official’s call. But center Jon Cooper, who is one of the few remaining starters who played against Oregon in 2006, said he doesn’t concern himself with officials.
“You’re worrying about the wrong colors if you’re spending your time thinking about the guys wearing the black and white stripes,” he said.
John Shinn
366-3536
jshinn@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
Huskeys have issues with Pac-10 officials, too
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