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SEC Head Of Officials Says Penalty That Negated LSU TD Was A Foul

by Staff Reporter

September 20, 201793 Comments

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Steve Shaw, the SEC head of officials said Wednesday that the offensive pass interference penalty against LSU during the first quarter of the Mississippi State game was a foul, by rule.

The penalty negated what would have been a 67-yard touchdown pass to LSU wide receiver DJ Chark. Per The Advocate:

quote:
"The rule itself states it’s the responsibility of the offensive player to avoid opponents. The receiver, he knows where he’s going, knows his route. The defender doesn’t know where he’s going," Shaw said.

"By rule, since he’s got to avoid the opponent, there is a responsibility on that offensive player," he continued during a question-and-answer segment on the SEC teleconference. "Typically what our guys look at ... if you see a receiver move directly at a defender or initiate or create contact with him, then typically, that’s what gets the alert of the official. Coaches have plays they call “rub” or whatever, but if they are initiating or seeking out that defender or creating contact, by rule that’s a foul."

Shaw called offensive pass interference "a very tough judgment call."

Shaw also added that two targeting calls against LSU's linebacker Donnie Alexander and defensive lineman Neil Farrell were both confirmed.

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Originally published on TigerDroppings.com

93 Comments

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udtiger•80 months

Steve Shaw? Alabama alum, Steve Shaw?

km•80 months

a very tough judgement call, unless, of course, it's bama.

tigersbb•80 months

Yes, look at the BAMA game winning TD against LSU in overtime in 2014

Undertow•80 months

By that logic 99% of all defensive PI calls I've ever seen should have been OPI.

PortCityTiger82•80 months

Both defenders closed in on him blocking his route so how was he supposed to “avoid” them. Typical BS where they’re too hard headed to admit they were wrong.

Catman88•80 months

WTF is he smoking? The MSU player (41) initiated contact with the WR. He dove at the WR. Shaw is fricked on the head if he thinks that's the correct call. Obviously this is a cover-up of pathetic officiating.

DeafVallyBatnR•80 months

He said by rule... and if the foul is a judgement call then in his world he is saying the Official made a judgement call and it is a foul. That is all he is doing. The official who called the foul was 20 yards up the field and saw a collision and threw a flag while falling backwards and has no idea if it really was a PI.

thanksjhester•80 months

Bama grad bud. LSU never catches a break

Barbellthor•80 months

Yea, no. Receiver was running a legitimate route, looking back at the QB the whole way. I guess any contact downfield is offensive pass interference, too, because it's the receiver's job to get out of the poor defender's way. Either a bad call or a bad rule; either way, it's complete bullshite.

comalking•80 months

Exactly he was on a straight line route

OweO•80 months

Man, I just watched this play three times. Sullivan was running his route. It actually looked like one of the two who was on Sullivan missed an assignment, which left Chark wide open. Sullivan was running a slant and at no point did he get off of his route to get in the way of defenders. I think maybe the safety might have missed his assignment, which put him in Sullivan's way. I need someone to point out what I am missing.

TheFranchise•80 months

This is the key point. If the ball is thrown to Sullivan, it's clear defensive PI as 41 tried to jump the slant (which wasn't his assignment) and tackled Sullivan. So, the SEC's explanation is that Defensive PI is no longer Defensive PI, if the ball is thrown elsewhere because in committing the foul the defender blew his own assignment leaving a receiver wide open.

biglego•80 months

Considering the same SEC saw no problems with anything about Auburn 2006, there's zero chance they'll ever admit a ref screwed up, at least with LSU.

Placebeaux•80 months

Bama has it out for LSU. They feel the Kiffin incident cost them a NC and blame LSU. Get ready for a bunch a dumb calls against LSU.

Mouche337•80 months

The SEC has it out for LSU. The College football Playoff was designed to have one team representing the top 4 conferences for that particular year. Only one team from the SEC will get in. The SEC knows this and they want Alabama to present them every year. The SEC head office is in Alabama! Les Miles would shoot his self in the foot, so the SEC didn't have to intervene (Or at least not that much). LSU shot out of the gate like A cannon this year. So the SEC stepped in to ensure LSU would fall. You think you saw some horrible calls against Mississippi State? Wait until we play Bama!

TigerSpray•80 months

LSU should leave the SEC. This will never get better unless Herb Vincent is SEC Commish and that ain't happening in Bama.

TheFranchise•80 months

Until the sec office is willing to come out and admit an official made an in-game mistake (and instead try to give a half-cocked justification for a clearly aberrant penalty) then sec officiating will remain shrouded in the appearance of impropriety.

biglego•80 months

So by his logic, all a DB has to do is crowd the line. A WR isn't supposed initiate contact and is supposed to avoid the DB. Seems like a WR is not allowed to run a route.

TigerJeff•80 months

Univ. of Ala. alum, Steve Shaw.

keakar•80 months

so this means from now on EVERY time an alabama receiver runs into a defender, it will be called offensive pass interference right? alabama will have that first down or touchdown taken off the board right? we will sure be waiting to see those flags fly, but not holding my breathe

OceanMan•80 months

This is a really poor explanation. Like laughably bad. "The receiver knows where he is going..." Yeah, he was going straight up the field. But since he knows where he is going, he needs to go in a different direction to avoid the defender? So a defender need only get in the way of a WR to disrupt timing routes and all is cool?

roger79•80 months

Steve Shaw is one of the SEC house men, all the way back to when he was an on-field official. He will rule the way the SEC wants it ruled not how it should be rules. So I expected nothing more out of him with this statement.

PuraVida•80 months

Of course not... Gumps gonna Gump. Everyone sees it, even the announcers, and this idiot tries to justify their "mistakes". You either have integrity, or you don't. Shaw - you don't!

TigerJeff•80 months

BTW, how many times have we seen Ala. players ejected for "targeting"?? Remember the game last year against A&M on the kickoff where the Ala. player clearly targeted Speedy Noil (crown of helmet to head) and you could actually see Noil's tooth come flying out?

tigerpawl•80 months

Nothing like being the perpetrator, judge, and jury - all wrapped into one. The man was on his route already!! He was already running the aforementioned route!! From the moment the ball was snapped, he was on his route. He was not a blocker!! The DB's got in his way, damnit!!! Such BS.

dolphins6969•80 months

Cop out response to protect the ref.

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