Were these ACC basketball refs?

[Wrecker]

It is a common belief that calls rarely go against Duke in basketball, especially fouls. I attended today's marathon game from seeing the Jackets into the stadium to the last knee drop killing the clock. We did not play as well as we can or have, however - check the stats. We won time of possession, # of 1st downs, rushing, passing and return yards. We converted more third downs and punted just once. We turned the ball over at crucial times on 3 occasions, each being momentum killers. The refs, however, definitely had a huge, negative impact on this game for TECH. They made calls and spots that consistently reversed our momentum and they completely missed the targeting call on Griff, this call setting the tone for what was to be throughout the game. From my seat, our defensive line was getting mauled and held on most plays. Yet, these guys could see face mask penalties and offsides on a punt (that I didn't) but couldn't see the Duke offensive holding which could have been called literally on every series they had the ball. After having most close calls go against you, it gets between the ears and compromises your game. We did enough wrong to lose the game, but the refs altered game momentum with their calls and definitely contributed to our loss. Sure hope we don't catch this crew again this year - they need to stick with round ball!!!!

 

[Tech93]

It was one of the worse reffed games that I remember in recent years and that is not sour grapes bc I am a Tech fans. I was and still am bewildered at the calls against and lack thereof calls for Tech. Really bad crew.

 

[YJAlleyCat]

Worst officiating I've ever seen. It was beyond ridiculous.

 

[gtg936g]

The ejection, incomplete pass, and offsides I will give them. The two that bother me the most was the duke running back that was clearly down, and the missed holding calls.

 

[Go4Tech]

@ 936g - Do not forget the missed targeting on Golden.

 

[Ggee87]

I was screaming from my seats "This is football, not basketball." Give us SOMETHING... Anything at this point. Not every close call can go against the home team, every single time?? I mean let the boys play some football. We should have whipped Duke. No doubt in my mind. Though we didnt come to play,and there defense is much improved from years past.... still should have pulled it out. They had 14 points with barely having any first downs. I was flabbergasted to be quite.honest.

 

[Animal02]

Just looked at the punt offsides......the DB Griffin? (second from the left) clearly lined up offsides. The ball was right on the yard marker and he his feet were on the wrong side....easy call for the ref. As for the targeting call.....maybe technically correct, but horrible rule. The play that I just do not get was the 3/1 early in the 4th......how the hell do they not call him down when he is sitting on the ground and how the hell is that not corrected by a replay/review. At that point of the game, we were down 2 scores, but hat the whole quarter......the refs giving them that first down gave them the game.

 

[Fatmike91]

Rather than discuss a single call, I want to point out an on-going issue for tech:

Our odds of winning or losing a game are tied directly to whether or not the Zebras call offensive holding on our opponents.

Duke held us a lot. So did Miami. In fact, it seems like everyone we play holds us (...Ga So...). In general, we rarely hold on offense because of our scheme. Our opponents who run a pro-scheme hold a lot and get away with it. Blow the whistle, move 'em back 10 yards and that is the end of that drive. One or two offensive holding calls (going against our opponent) swings the game.

We need to make a big deal out of this. The same way Beemer and Cut complain about chop blocks...

/

 

[Jerry the Jacket]

Definitely was not our day with the zebras. You would think as the home team you would get at least a couple of calls. Just went along with our less than stellar play and turnovers to seal our fate. Like Coach said, we have to play clean to beat any body on our schedule.

Go Jackets!

 

[Wrecker]

Rather than discuss a single call, I want to point out an on-going issue for tech:

Our odds of winning or losing a game are tied directly to whether or not the Zebras call offensive holding on our opponents.

Duke held us a lot. So did Miami. In fact, it seems like everyone we play holds us (...Ga So...). In general, we rarely hold on offense because of our scheme. Our opponents who run a pro-scheme hold a lot and get away with it. Blow the whistle, move 'em back 10 yards and that is the end of that drive. One or two offensive holding calls (going against our opponent) swings the game.

We need to make a big deal out of this. The same way Beemer and Cut complain about chop blocks...

/

I agree with you completely and the game yesterday was a perfect example. Holding calls could have been made on every Duke series yesterday and could have changed momentum completely. Then who knows? We are going to face a real pass heavy team next week. Hope the O can slow it down, limit their possessions. A shoot out game with UNC is not what we need.

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

Someone on another board posted WTTE - when any ACC team plays Duke / unc in FB or bb, if you hit them too hard in FB it will be a penalty or if you touch them in bb it is a foul.

Know that going in and deal with it in other ways.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

The targeting, boot scoot, and lack of holding call when the Duke tackle jumped on Freeman's back to bring him down...god awful officiating. We have to play well enough to overcome crappy officiating. We didn't.

 

[jeffgt14]

A few bad calls but it's no excuse for 3 turnovers. Bad calls are gonna happen. Turnovers don't have to.

 

[DCSS]

That was the worst officiated game I can remember. The refs were really, truly awful.

 

[TheTaxJacket]

There were at least two holding very blatant holding non calls on Keshun Freeman

 

[GTech63]

The targeting, boot scoot, and lack of holding call when the Duke tackle jumped on Freeman's back to bring him down...god awful officiating. We have to play well enough to overcome crappy officiating. We didn't.

holding calls referred to were right in front of official. I thought targeting ejection had to be reviewed. It was not worth an ejection call. I still think that was a wrong call. Good hit. Aimed with shoulder.

 

[Wrecking Ball]

Can we refuse to allow certain officials to officiate our games anymore? Let's send emails to the AD demanding he bend Swofford over a barrel for this.

 

[DvilleJacket]

The holding reminded me of the BC game when Matty Ice picked us apart. They held our d players every passing play and never got called.

 

[Boomergump]

I will say this: after giving the game a quick "once over" on the dvr this morning, I don't think the refs were AS BAD on some of the critical calls as I thought in the stadium. The Jumb-Tron was not showing some of the angles that were shown on TV with slow mo etc. For example, the Smelter no catch. The guy on the field ruled incomplete. After having seen the slow replay a few times I can see that there wasn't clear evidence to reverse it. It was just that close. On the Jumbo I thought it was a clear catch. After watching the targeting call again, I can kind of see why. I think Griffin tried to do the right thing. He was definitely lowering the shoulder, but again, the slow mo showed that the helmets actually did hit first. He wasn't trying to do that, but that IS what happened.

I think they got the PUKE fumble right, plain and simple. The BAD calls, IMHO, were the interference on Milton that extended the drive. That was a NO CALL all the way. On that one first down run, the PUKE guy was LAYING ON HIS BACK before squirming forward. That was beyond atrocious. As far as holding goes, I have seen so much of that on film reviews that I am numb to it now. Do I think they missed some holding on Freeman? YES, but I also see that stuff all the time so it wasn't radically different from other games. Freeman needs to learn to sell it better. Derrick Morgan was a master at this.

 

[John]

I like to pretend like I don't complain about the officiating even when I think they are bad... but yesterday was unusual to say the least. As a biased fan, I would say there were like 5-6 weird calls but in reality I think there were only 1-2 calls that were questionable.

A few bad calls but it's no excuse for 3 turnovers. Bad calls are gonna happen. Turnovers don't have to.

Agreed with this. Even with what looked like bad calls, we shot ourselves in the foot at least three times. We might have been able to overcome shooting ourselves in the foot once or twice and still could've won but with the way we played, we just couldn't get it done.

What I would love to believe is that those calls early in the game, especially the targeting call on 2nd and 22 that got Corey ejected, somehow affected how our guys played down the stretch.