Officiating Heavily Slanted to Bama

[doverstutts 1,643]

this is a post from a reliable poster on AUTIGERS.....its something we all know is true but this just reaffirms it

Ex SEC official shared with me some inside information and lets just say the "Birmingham mafia" when it comes to officiating is dark. There is no question that officiating is heavily slanted to Alabama--period the end. Some officials have even held post-game meetings where they try and get their story straight because they know they are going to be asked about a questionable call. I really hoped this behavior wasn't true, but it is. I still remember the Julio Jones repeated pick play in their game-winning drive vs Auburn in 2009 that was never called...and it was obvious...some officials wanted no part of the "group session" to get their story straight.

Considered not posting this at all, but given the money we all spend on tickets, travel, time, we deserve better from officiating...

 

[Maverick.AU 13,281]

Wouldn’t surprise me. In addition to what you said, I know that an SEC official has said that Saban calls the officials offices more than any other coach in the conference, and by a wide margin.

[WalkingCarpet 1,379]

I've been on the ITAT boards for nearly a decade. I can name on one hand the number of people I trust as insiders. None of them post on the free football board. That board is for sunshine pumping and fan fictions. 

[aucanucktiger 1,807]

As a former college (MEAC) & Florida high school football official I urge every person that loves the sport to take a shot at reffing for even a season or two. Even if just pee wee. I got involved in officiating because I was so aggravated with what I saw from striped shirts in the '70s & '80s. It's good to voice concern - it's better to jump in. Some of the guys I reffed with went into the SEC & other major conferences and 2 even to the NFL, it can happen.

[Win4AU 4,055]

I have a hard time believing the refs are calling games for Bama and having secret meetings to get their story straight.  I know Auburn has gotten shafted a couple times but this reeks of conspiracy theory aluminum hat stuff.

[bigbird 60,591]

1 hour ago, Win4AU said:

I have a hard time believing the refs are calling games for Bama and having secret meetings to get their story straight.  I know Auburn has gotten shafted a couple times but this reeks of conspiracy theory aluminum hat stuff.

[DAG 34,045]

Rivals board 

[Tiger 8,833]

5 minutes ago, bigbird said:

 

https://m.imgur.com/wJYNAmn

I dunno anyone can look at this and say it wasn't intentional

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

If you want to end accusations or speculation, the NCAA would need to go to an NFL style system where they have national officials that aren't affiliated with a conference.  Every group would work games in different conferences.  It ain't gonna happen, but it's what is needed.

[MadtownTiger 363]

4 hours ago, doverstutts said:

this is a post from a reliable poster on AUTIGERS.....its something we all know is true but this just reaffirms it

Ex SEC official shared with me some inside information and lets just say the "Birmingham mafia" when it comes to officiating is dark. There is no question that officiating is heavily slanted to Alabama--period the end. Some officials have even held post-game meetings where they try and get their story straight because they know they are going to be asked about a questionable call. I really hoped this behavior wasn't true, but it is. I still remember the Julio Jones repeated pick play in their game-winning drive vs Auburn in 2009 that was never called...and it was obvious...some officials wanted no part of the "group session" to get their story straight.

Considered not posting this at all, but given the money we all spend on tickets, travel, time, we deserve better from officiating...

 

Unless this ITAT poster is a priest or an attorney I think we all see the obvious next step here.  If they won't at least provide enough details so others can do the sleuthing, I'm having a hard time getting worked up over old news.

But I do appreciate all efforts to pressure them onto a level playing field.  

WDE!

[MadtownTiger 363]

29 minutes ago, bigbird said:

 

https://m.imgur.com/wJYNAmn

I at least hope that guy's friends give him grief about that spot.  Like they go to give him a beer and misjudge his hand by a few feet.

There was another asinine spot where the official set the ball, then checked the marker behind him, moved the ball, checked again, and then moved it again.

WDE!

[bigbird 60,591]

5 minutes ago, MadtownTiger said:

I at least hope that guy's friends give him grief about that spot.  Like they go to give him a beer and misjudge his hand by a few feet.

There was another asinine spot where the official set the ball, then checked the marker behind him, moved the ball, checked again, and then moved it again.

WDE!

I remember that one. That was terrible!

 

Found it!

 

https://m.imgur.com/gDPOmqq

 

[Tiger Refuge 6,682]

7 hours ago, bigbird said:

I remember that one. That was terrible!

edited...beat me to it.

[Win4AU 4,055]

57 minutes ago, bigbird said:

 

https://m.imgur.com/wJYNAmn

That’s some Franchonie era Bama right there.  

Maybe Dubose even.  

Good thing coaches have challenge flags now.  I watched the Auburn Clemson 2010 game the other day and there were some interesting calls in that game with ACC refs at Jordan Hare.  I still don’t think there’s some conspiracy to keep Bama on top.

[bigbird 60,591]

1 minute ago, Win4AU said:

That’s some Franchonie era Bama right there.  

So it's been going on for a while and it's nothing new?

[bigbird 60,591]

Per Stats

 

From 2007-2015:

9 years 
121 games 
8114 offensive snaps

55 holding penalties 
37 holding penalties against OL or 1 every 3.3 games.

OL is flagged for holding every 219 snaps.

Alabama had zero holding penalties during 65% of their games.

Only2 times during 121 games was Alabama flagged for holding while trailing on the scoreboard.

During 78 conference games, their OL was flagged for holding 19 times (1 every 4.1 gms). 
During their remaining 43 games, 18 times (1 every 2.4 gms).

Interesting Breakdown:

9 games vs. Auburn ................. 2 holding penalties against OL. 
6 games vs. Florida .................. 1 
4 games vs. Georgia ................ 0 
10 games vs. LSU .................... 3 
9 games vs. Tennessee............ 1 
9 games vs. Ole Miss ............... 2

9 games vs. Arkansas .............. 6

 

 

[Win4AU 4,055]

Jerry Jones involved over at Arkansas?  Must be paying more money than the Bama Dodge Dealerships to keep it down home cuz.

[doverstutts 1,643]

33 minutes ago, bigbird said:

Per Stats

 

From 2007-2015:

9 years 
121 games 
8114 offensive snaps

55 holding penalties 
37 holding penalties against OL or 1 every 3.3 games.

OL is flagged for holding every 219 snaps.

Alabama had zero holding penalties during 65% of their games.

Only2 times during 121 games was Alabama flagged for holding while trailing on the scoreboard.

During 78 conference games, their OL was flagged for holding 19 times (1 every 4.1 gms). 
During their remaining 43 games, 18 times (1 every 2.4 gms).

Interesting Breakdown:

9 games vs. Auburn ................. 2 holding penalties against OL. 
6 games vs. Florida .................. 1 
4 games vs. Georgia ................ 0 
10 games vs. LSU .................... 3 
9 games vs. Tennessee............ 1 
9 games vs. Ole Miss ............... 2

9 games vs. Arkansas .............. 6

 

 

Pretty telling stuff right there....its why i place  officials on the same moral plane as politicians

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

50 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

That’s some Franchonie era Bama right there.  

Maybe Dubose even.  

Good thing coaches have challenge flags now.  I watched the Auburn Clemson 2010 game the other day and there were some interesting calls in that game with ACC refs at Jordan Hare.  I still don’t think there’s some conspiracy to keep Bama on top.

So my buddy was assisting in the replay booth that season for AU home games.  Just queing up replays and helping out the official as needed.  The TD that go overturned in our favor was because of him.  He looked at the replay official and said "You may want to look at this, I think his foot got down.". A few minutes later after review, AU has the TD.

[jared52 4,354]

1 hour ago, bigbird said:

I remember that one. That was terrible!

 

Found it!

 

https://m.imgur.com/gDPOmqq

 

It looks awful, and I am all for a good “uat cheats” post, but I need a ruling from @WarTiger here on whether this ref was the one who should be marking the spot. The player went down with his back to that ref so I’m wondering if the ref in the middle of the field was responsible for the spot and the side judge was just moving to line up to his spot. Why he kept looking back I don’t know, but this might explain what happened in this case.

It wasn’t like the Iron Bowl spot where the ref changes his spot by shifting his feet 3 times. I think it was 2010. 

[Win4AU 4,055]

1 hour ago, Brad_ATX said:

So my buddy was assisting in the replay booth that season for AU home games.  Just queing up replays and helping out the official as needed.  The TD that go overturned in our favor was because of him.  He looked at the replay official and said "You may want to look at this, I think his foot got down.". A few minutes later after review, AU has the TD.

Darvin Adams was like Velcro.  Everything thrown to him stuck.  That would be a tough call for any official.  There was a late hit when Clemson was backed up to the goal line where it was clear the defender began contact in bounds and it carried them out.  I understand how the ref saw it being late but too close to call in my opinion.

[Auburnfan91 1,407]

This was the most egregious call from last year imo:

 

The ref that made the call had no business making that call. That wasn't his call to make. The ref that threw the flag was supposed to be watching the sidelines and to see if the ball broke the plane of the goal line and to signal whether it was a touchdown or not. Instead he sees a phantom block in the back, throws a flag, and never makes a signal for a touchdown or marks it short of the goal line(it wasn't short, it was a touchdown). 

I know the NFL is testing out challenging for pass interference but imo, things like offsides and blocks in the back should be able to be challenged because there's less grey area and less subjectiveness for those calls. Either you're offsides or you're not. Either you use your hands and make contact from behind for a block in the back or you don't.

Pass interference and holding are more subjective and there's more grey area in regards to how much grabbing and contact can be made before it gets flagged. Different ref crews have different tolerances for how much contact they allow. There's much less consistency on holding or pass interference calls.

[JWShewmake 78]

It has been going on for years and my guess is that it will never stop.  At least the  SEC Office has stopped allowing officials with either AU or AL affiliations to call the Auburn - Alabama game.  I think they need to go a step further and prohibit AL affiliated officials from calling any AU games.  At the same time don't let AU affiliated officials call any AL games.  There are plenty of examples of refs inserting themselves to change the outcome of the AU-AL game.  I remember in the early 70's sitting in the upper deck at Legion Field and watching Thom Gossom catch a pass down the sideline about the 35 yard line and go in for an AU touchdown.  An official ran right  behind Gossom all the way and called the touchdown and set the ball down for the extra point.   All of a sudden, a time out was called and officials huddled and then said that Gossom stepped out of bounds and called the TD back and enforced an ineligible receiver downfield penalty on AU which at the time was a 5 yard penalty and loss of down.  So it was 4th down and AU had to punt.  The refs on the sideline did not see this or if they did they realized the Washington, AL corner on the play, pushed Gossom out of bounds and Gossom re-established himself and caught the ball.  The guys working the sticks alerted the back judge in the middle of the field who came over and called the penalty.  Did not think the guys working the sticks could affect a call on the field if one of the refs calling the game did not see it.  At that point Alabama was ahead by 3 points with only about 3 minutes left to play in the game.  The refs took the win away from Auburn plain and simple.  There are videos of AU-AL games where officials mis-marked first downs to give AL a first down too.  Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done about it other than to beat them soundly.

JWShewmake

[Carnell 592]

While the officiating is slanted Bama way in the end its hurts Bama because in championship games as with Clemson they dont get the benefit of SEC officiating and look what Clemson has done to them.  That is why I am in favor of having only one team from each league in the playoffs it keeps the SEC officials out of the Championship game involving Alabama.

[AUGoo 2,666]

6 hours ago, bigbird said:

Per Stats

 

From 2007-2015:

9 years 
121 games 
8114 offensive snaps

55 holding penalties 
37 holding penalties against OL or 1 every 3.3 games.

OL is flagged for holding every 219 snaps.

Alabama had zero holding penalties during 65% of their games.

Only2 times during 121 games was Alabama flagged for holding while trailing on the scoreboard.

During 78 conference games, their OL was flagged for holding 19 times (1 every 4.1 gms). 
During their remaining 43 games, 18 times (1 every 2.4 gms).

Interesting Breakdown:

9 games vs. Auburn ................. 2 holding penalties against OL. 
6 games vs. Florida .................. 1 
4 games vs. Georgia ................ 0 
10 games vs. LSU .................... 3 
9 games vs. Tennessee............ 1 
9 games vs. Ole Miss ............... 2

9 games vs. Arkansas .............. 6

 

 

How does that compare with AU over the same period?