The Big 12 Conference has removed an officiating crew from its next scheduled assignment as a result of an error made during Saturday’s game between Kansas and Missouri.
According to a statement issued by the conference on Tuesday morning, the crew’s punishment is because it “allowed a punt to occur on a free kick.”
“We believe we have one of the best officiating programs in college football,” said Scott Draper, the Big 12’s chief football and competition officer, in a press release. “When the Conference’s high standard for officiating is not met, the Big 12 will take action.”
Early in the first quarter of Saturday’s game, Missouri took a 6-0 lead on a 32-yard touchdown run by Ahmad Hardy, and center Connor Tollison was assessed with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the play, which was enforced on the ensuing kickoff. That meant Mizzou would have to kick off from its own 20-yard line instead of its 35.
Saturday’s game was the first the Tigers had played without their kicker Blake Craig after he suffered a torn ACL in Missouri’s season opener. Oliver Robbins handled the opening kickoff and eventually five more for the Tigers over the course of this game, but for this backed-up kickoff, they instead brought out punter Connor Weselman and had him punt the ball rather than kicking from a tee. His punt went 51 yards and was returned nine yards by KU tight end Carson Bruhn.
Per the section of the NCAA rulebook the Big 12 cited in its announcement, Rule 2, Section 16, Article 6, a kickoff must be either a place kick (as it usually is) or a drop kick. A drop kick is different from a punt; it is defined as “a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it as it touches the ground.” Punting is allowed on a free kick when one takes place after a safety.
The Tigers could potentially have been assessed a 5-yard penalty for an illegal kick, per the NCAA’s Approved Ruling 6-1-2, which mandates that penalty for when “the ball is kicked while teed illegally, punted on a kickoff or kicked from a spot between the hash mark and the nearer sideline.”
The officiating crew for Saturday’s game comprised referee Mike McCabe, line judge Kelly Deterding, side judge Rick Ockey, umpire Brandon Wood, back judge Daniel Young, linesman Matt Burks and field judge Dion Spenard.
At least in the public discourse, the punted kickoff was not the preeminent officiating controversy surrounding Saturday’s game. Missouri’s Damon Wilson II could potentially have been called for illegal batting of the ball on the fumble by Jalon Daniels that led to a safety in the second quarter. Later in the game, Missouri defensive end Darris Smith was penalized for grabbing Daniels’ facemask on a third-and-11 sack, reviving a drive that resulted in a field goal; it wasn’t clear on replay whether Smith actually grasped the facemask or simply got ahold of Daniels’ shoulder.
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