Deseret News | Officials concede call was incorrect

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Poinsettia Bowl: Officials concede call was incorrect

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Nice job Utes | 10:52 a.m. Dec. 21, 2007

I graduated from UNLV, so during Bowl season, I cheer for all the Mtn. West teams. What's good for the conference is good for UNLV. Nice job Utes, good win against a good Navy team.

RE; Utahs Bowl game in November | 11:12 a.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Devoured the Utes? Two Wins on last minute miracles is hardly devouring. Beside if ours was November yours was September when you lost to a Bottom level Pac 10 team in UCLA so why are you even playing again?

Lou Holtz was not incorrect in his assesment he is smart enough to see 1-3 to 9-4 using third string players and freshman you had to pull of redshirt status(true Freshman)means you have good, deep talent. That said Best Talent does not mean best team. Utah has Proven that.

To Not Irrelevant,
The difference is that Urbans team and coordinator knew that the game is played endzone to endzone not sideline to sideline so when push came to shove he had the ability to line up and run a power game if necessary. Which leads to the final point. Utah has the Talent. Until they get an offensive (because I doubt Ludwig will figure it out) coordiantor that knows what to do with that talent they will be an average ball club with a great D and inconsitent offense. That hurts because I am a Ute Fan but it is true.

Tainted? | 11:14 a.m. Dec. 21, 2007

That call CHANGED NOTHING!!! Utah had stuffed them 3 straight times. They would have ran the same stuff. Their first carry got em 5 yards. So they still couldnt get 5 more on 3 more plays? I dont care where you are at, 4 plays to get 10 yards and they couldnt get em. As for Holtz comments. Utah lost 1 game with Brian Johnson and Darryl Mack. And it was a fluke loss. They are arguably them best non BCS team. Their early losses were without up to 15 starters.

Comments continue below

CougarKeith | 11:15 a.m. Dec. 21, 2007

As Usual I called that one right too! Would it have made a difference? Who knows, it doesn't matter, the game is over and the outcome can't be changed. The Replay Ref messed up, the Utah Offensive Coordinator called all the wrong plays in the first half. A game is played because of the "What could happens" on the field that don't on paper, and for our entertainment and the LOVE OF THE GAME. As aggrivating as it was, the SIMPLE FACT: UTAH WON & NAVY LOST! Did Utah get a Christmas Present from the Replay Ref, You bet they did, and they still almost blew it if it wasn't for Navy's #7 slipping all night long and not being smart enough to change to deeper cleats, who knows, Navy still might have pulled it out! Utah is tied with the Nations LONGEST BOWL WINNING STREAK and needs to be congratulated no matter how they won, and how weak of a team they beat. The fact is, Navy is the #1 rushing offense in the nation, and they did a good job again last night too! IT WAS A GREAT GAME Minus ONE CALL! Way to go Utes!

hahahaha.... | 11:17 a.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Cougar fans kill me, you little special people need to realize had that been called a touchback then Utah would have got the ball back and ran the clock out. Final score 28-25. Navy got that last touchdown on a team that had the game won. should have been 35-25. That call meant nothing. Tainted??? Ha, you guys need to get back on your short busses

Re: NachoGrande | 11:41 a.m. Dec. 21, 2007

I'm a BYU fan, but I'll still admit that was hilarious! I think it's obvious that certain media reporters wear red and blue goggles and it's obvious in the articles they publish and comments they make. It could be that this one's biased. I guess it's something both sides have to live with.

Buddha Ute | 11:43 a.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Instead of thinking of the bad call as luck, I prefer to think of it as karma.

After spinning against the Utes in such an unfortunate way during the BYU game, the karmic wheel came back around during the Poinsettia Bowl.

Am I wrong in assuming the Coogs are hoping for the same in their rematch against UCLA?

Re No Difference | 11:46 a.m. Dec. 21, 2007

What clock management issues came out of the bad call? In essense, Navy got the ball back with less than 5 seconds ticking off the clock from when they would have had it - the time it took to run one 4th down play and the clock was stopped before and after that play.

I can understand POSSIBLE momentum and field position issues being discussed but not game time issues. The 5 seconds are meaningless.

Holtz | 11:51 a.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Of course Holtz says praiseworthy things about Utah during a Ute game. We all know he knows basically nothing about any MWC, WAC, or non-BCS team so he just says nice things because a lot of Utah fans were watching last night. It's similar to Vitale going nuts about Plaisted during the UNC game.

Guys, these national announcers don't know or care about non-BCS teams. Don't take their comments like they are gospel truths.

And, from what I heard, he never said Utah was the best non-BCS team in the nation as people are quoting. He talked about talent, not this year's "team". I'm not defending the fact that Utah has the best talent (remember, he is just rambling, not doing an analysis).

But, I think a case can be made that Utah, over the past 5 years or so, is one of the top non-BCS teams (programs) in the country. They've won 46 games, 5 bowl games, 2 OCC, and a Fiesta Bowl over that 5 year time period. Certainly, that qualifies as being one of the best non-BCS programs.

Bad calls happen | 11:53 a.m. Dec. 21, 2007

The Utes have been burned by questionable pass interference calls against BYU the last two years, but that's not why BYU won those games. BYU won because they made plays when they had to when the game was on the line.

Utah won last night because they made plays when they had to.

Remember, Navy had two opportunities to win or tie the game after that bad call was made, and the Utes stopped them both times: on 4th and 2, and then later with the interception. Officials are always going to make mistakes, but the players still dictate the outcomes.

It's disingenuous for BYU fans to claim that those 19 yards were the decisive factor in Utah's win. Come on - the Utes deserve a little more credit than that.

Whiners All | 12:03 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Just because someone says that the obviously blown call presented a disadvantage for Navy doesn't make them a BYU fan. ESPN says it, CNNSI says it, FoxSports says it, and you can bet Navy and Navy fans are saying it (maybe not publicly baecause they have class). I reallt don't think it changed the outcome. Stop whining and enjoy a solid Utah victory over a good team. That goes for BYU fans too.

As for the BYU Utah game, there were several questionable calls each way including the two that are constantly whined about here. BYU lost a touchdown to one of those and Ute fans weren't whining about that one. The fact of the matter is that it was an excellent game and both teams had their chances.

Congrats to Utah and I hope all MWC teams win their bowl games because the conference needs the exposure. We sure don't get it from the MTN!

LEM | 12:04 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

What a bunch of Byu WHINNERS lets see if they have to eat Crow!! They still have a game to play

CougarKeith | 12:07 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Dear hahahaha... Where are you coming from? The score at the "Touch Back Blown Call" was Utah 28, Navy 25. Navy should have gotten the ball on their own 20 with 3:43 ON THE CLOCK. Figure they go 50 yards to the other 30, they had all 3 time outs, and the clock stops for first downs, and out of bounds plays. This would give them a 47 yard field goal attempt, and their kickers long was 52 yards against Army. This would have tied the game and left little time for Utah to score. I think you need to learn the rules Mr. "hahahaha", sounds to me like you don't know squat about football. Regardless, nobody is crying they are just admitting that Utah caught a break, a game is a game, it ended the way it ended, and people can complain all they want, it doesn't change the fact of the matter, UTAH WON! Nice game Utah. When it comes to Bowl Games I always route for the Mountain West Teams! Although I am a proponent for BYU & Utah starting a new Conference with Boise State and others, or BYU moving to the Big XII!

Post Season Matters | 12:18 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

All these Cougie fans here, trying to tear down the Ute team that the continually fear. Your BEST win of the season came against US!! UTAH didn't get beat in the MWC this year, they gave away the wins...and there is a differnece.

Either way, the post season is what matters...and UTAH is clearly the superior team compared to all MWC teams, including BYU. What does it matter that Utah lost to AF or UNLV ealier in the season....they shine in the post season. Look what a "undefeated" season got BYU....a rematch with a team that wouldn't even qualify for the postseason without a win over YOUR team!!! Hilarious that you COUGIES complain about playing such a weak team and having a rematch but, if you would have taken care of business the first time, UCLA wouldn't even qualify for the bowl.

BYU is terrible in the postseason, UTAH is brilliant, and the records show that. Can't argue with that, pathetic whining cougarettes.

I HATE BYU | 12:19 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

'nuff said

ron | 12:34 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Ben, I appreciate what you had to say and agree in most part but Please leave my ancestry out of this, they are not here to defend themselves, or what has aged or died along the way. Ta.

DEAR "I HATE BYU" | 12:34 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

who cares (snore, snore). MORE than "nuff said"!!!

Good Win | 12:37 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Biggest BYU Cougar fan here... and I thought it was a great win for the MWC. Of course I don't love Utah. OK, I don't even like Utah. Not at all. But I was really pulling for them to win. Now it is up to BYU and the other 3 MWC schools to all go and win their bowls. Having 5/5 wins in bowl season goes a long way to national respect. The officials did blow the call, and anyone that has ever played the game knows that when you are on the 1 foot line you CAN'T PASS! You have to run, run run to be safe. Look what happened a little later when they scored so easily. So I have to disagree that the call was irrelevant. It was HUGE! If I were Navy I would be more than a little upset. But is still was a great game. Good job Utes.

Joe Moe | 12:41 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

I frankly don't care much about this whole thing one way or the other. But to those who say the win is tainted, would you say the same thing if this had happened in the first quarter?

Little things like this happen all the time, and just have to be factored in as part of the game.

Congrats to the Utes.

RE CougarKeith | 12:43 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Yes, Navy "should have" gotten the ball back with 3:43 to go. However, they did get it back with 3:40 to go and the score the same.

If they were going to go 50 yards in the next 3.5 minutes in one scenario, why not the other? Do those 3 seconds really matter? Also remember the kicker had already missed a 40 yarder earlier in the game so 'crediting' him a 47 yarder isn't a given.

The call was bad. But, Navy sucked it up and stopped Utah at the goalline on the next play and got the ball back anyway.

Stating Utah "needed" the call to win is disengenuous. Nobody knows for sure what would have happened had the call been called right. However, chances are the Utes would have still prevailed.

It's too bad the call went the way it did. However, Utah had the lead when the call was blown and gave the ball back to Navy on the next play. So for such a blown call, I can't imagine a scenario where, in the end, it would have impacted the game any less than it did.

ron | 12:48 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

you, the elitist editorial board are not relevent.

Bad Call | 12:59 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

First - Those two calls at the end of the BYU v U game were not bad calls they were legit.
Second - Navy had plenty of chances to win. They missed several scoring opportunities.
Third - the tiny utes should have dominated that game. Instead they played a sloppy Utah like inconsistent game.
Fourth - If Navy starts on the 20 yard line instead of the 1 the play calling totally changes. They are able to do more side to side option rather then their weak dive play. If they were able to move more around more and get to the corners where they were very effective last night they might have a chance to go down and score. IF anything else if they go 4 and out like they did Utah is still at the 29 instead of the 9. Navy has a better chance of holding them to just a field goal.

Anonymous | 1:08 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

I'm not as worried about griping about the wrong call. It was wrong, but whether or not it changed the outcome is debatable all day long.

What I find extremely interesting is that with the best non-BCS talent in the country the utes still have to turn to trick plays to win games. That's been there M.O. for years (from the old duck-formation, etc). With all that talent they can't just line up and play football. Thay have to resort to trickery like reverses, double reverses, fake everythings, etc in nearly every game this year (incl. Wyoming).

That tells me that either the best talent means nothing, or the coaching situation is pathetic. Either way it'd be nice if the MWC could go 5-0 in bowls, even though I just couldn't bring myself to root for the utes.

Here's to the Cougars - one of the best non-BCS teams in the country without all that much talent. Good luck against the Bruins. 31-13.

Anonymous | 1:24 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

it was a bad call but navy had their chances and didn't capitalize

Anonymous | 1:31 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

it was a bad call but keep in mind, navy had their chances, even on onside kick, remember, a fumble as well in the redzone... let's not forget those tidbits, they had plenty of things go their way

Cougarfan | 1:48 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Not a bad article, but when it comes down to it the Utes did what it took to win. You have to admit that whether you're a BYU fan (like me) or a ute.

speakandspell | 1:56 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

You UTE fans are sure representing the university well, what with all of your fine argumentitive tactics and spelling.

Think a little | 2:24 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Congrats Utes! I'm glad that your fan base doesn't represent your players. Mack is a class act & after meeting some of the players families a few weeks ago in LES I'm a fan of some of the other players as well. A win is a win ya'all. Nothing can be said to dispute that. Here's to the MWC winning their bowls out. GO COUGS! 31-14

Alert: Re match scheduled | 2:30 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

In view of the blown call, Navy has requested a sudden death playoff against Utah. The rematch is scheduled to take place during the half time of the Las Vegas Bowl. Special Tickets for this EVENT maybe purchased from any BYU fan for a discounted price of $100 per ticket(small unmarked bills,in a brown paper sack, sorry no checks)

Lou Holtz? | 2:32 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Isn't this the same guy who predicted Notre Dame going undefeated this year? Yeah... he's one to know talent alright.

MWC is | 2:37 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

The best non-BCS conference. Congratulation Utah on a hard fought victory last night. I know you guys would beat both Hawaii and BSU. Not bad for the team that finished third in the MWC.

Cougar Fan | 2:41 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Good win Utah. Congratulations. After saturday, it will be a long off season for all of us. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas.

MADRYBEG | 2:44 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

wii--You are a class act, you know that? This is not the only thread you have commented on, but your comments are just as dumb. You feel the ONLY reason Utah won was due to the refs? Go back to the BYU game you cling to and check out two plays. The one where the Utah player got clobbered by a Y defender on a pass play that was not called and the one where Utah WAS called. If you take off the blue blinders even you can admit it.
You really need to take a look at the big picture. All teams from the MWC need to win for the good of the confernce. If you ever want BYU to play in a better conference, in a better bowl that is how you do it. Eight bowl wins in school history does NOTHING to boost that!

Re speakandspell | 2:47 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Perhaps you should learn to spell before criticizing others. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, if you know what I mean.

"argumentitive".

LOL

dj | 3:01 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Hey come on. Give the Utes a break. They didn't make the bad call, the reviewing official did. Even assuming the Ute coaching staff had access to the replay footage before the bad call, I'm unaware of any way they could have gone to the officials and conceded. I've never heard of such a thing having been done. Has anyone else? Utah got a break, but almost every team in every game "gets a break."

Did it change the game's outcome? Every call, good or bad, can be said to have changed any game's outcome. When a bad call or a gross non-call goes against you, you just have to play the game from that point forward. No looking back.

Besides, if Brooks had been hit at the four yard line and fumbled the ball forward and it had gone out at the six inch line, the official would have been correct to mark the ball where the ball left his hand; not where it crossed the line. That being the case, the ball was properly out of bounds when it left his hand, nes pa?

Anonymous | 3:07 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

It may have made a difference in play calling, but they ran the same stuff they ran all game, and all year. Nobody needs more room to work with when backed up on their own goal line. Nobody has a play where you go more than 10 yards backwards before you go forwards. Ask any Navy offensive player and I guarantee you they will tell you that they should have executed there.

The time they lost was only how much time it took Utah to run that play. The previous play was out of bounds and the clock stops on the turnover on downs.

Stuffing Utah at the goal line would create even more momentum than reversing that call and giving them the touchback. They should have had even more momentum and emotion after a goalline stand that gave them the ball back with a chance to tie or take the lead.

BYU's BEST WIN | 3:16 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

was against Air Force this season, not against the 3d place SN*Ts (school north of town). Don't flatter yourself ute fans.

Ute fans-- | 3:17 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Admit it, you were worked by BYU and were lucky to even lead in that game. 4 & 18, I still smile every time I say it.

You were lucky to win against Navy, the refs admit that with their apology. Further, everyone and their dog knows that Navy has a horrible pass defense, what took Ludwig so long to figure that one out? Oh, that's right, Johnson can only throw the short pass over the middle for 5 yards, then hope for more YAC.

You lost to the worst team in the MWC, UNLV.

And Holtz' comment was an insult against your coaching staff since the best talent should win the most games, but 4 losses proved the coaches didn't know what to do with that talent.

Here's a prediction for next season, BYU wins again in LES North. And Collie, Pitta and Unga will be open yet again.

Enjoy your tainted win, if you weren't sackless, you'd give the trophy to the real winners of last night's game: Navy

RISE AND SHOUT THE COUGARS ARE BACK!!!

speakandspell | 3:19 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Ok, I'm still 1 for 2, unlike your team against
byu.

utah_man18 | 3:40 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Wow, "Alert: Re match scheduled," are you really going to sit there and tell me that the Vegas Bowl receives a lot of respect and the Poinsettia Bowl gets none? You don't need to be bitter that we won a good game and an exciting bowl while the best you can do is beat a team you already played this year in an equally un-respected game.
Oh, and to you other coug fans sitting around with nothing better to do than watch the Utes win yet another bowl game, stop commenting on these boards and claiming things like "Those two calls at the end of the BYU v U game were not bad calls they were legit" and "the utes... have to turn to trick plays to win games." If you call a reverse a "trick play," you might as well say a play-action fake is a "trick play." Just because we use plays that catch a defense off guard doesn't mean our team and coaches are failures. Talk to me when you make it to and win a real bowl game (or win more than one or two bowl games in a row...). Go Utes! (best non-bcs talent!!!!!)

John | 4:21 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Why do Utah and BYU fans need to constantly try and
"one up" the other side? One might begin to think that the fans care more about proving they are better than their respective rival school instead of just enjoying football.

YBU | 4:27 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Harline and Collie are still Homers.

don't forget | 4:39 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Utah was actually winning when all this happened.

Anonymous | 5:16 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

It does not matter at all if they were on the 20 or not, they are an option team. They would not have marched down the field and put it in. In the words of the Navy QB him self "It wouldn't have mattered if it[the football] was on the one foot line, or the 20 yard line. We would have run the same plays".

Worst call of the game... | 6:06 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

wasn't this one. It was Lou Holtz saying multiple times that Utah is the best Non-B(c)S team. That is funny because they weren't even the best team in their Non-B(c)S conference. But I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He's old and that wasn't the only obsurd thing he said during the broadcast.

Rise and Shout Cougars | 9:44 p.m. Dec. 21, 2007

Just something to ponder, 17-27 you know what that means, and when UCLA pulls out yet another one on you Happy Valley Brothers it will sting even more... Good luck winning, pressure's on you, Utah already won and sealed our game with a pick, after Navy had a chance after recovering the onside kick.... Don't break a sweat just yet my Blue friends, no one expects you to really extend your bowl winning streak much more than one game anyways.

Re; Ute Fans... at 3:17 | 1:34 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

Ironic comment about luck coming as it apparently does from a Coog.

The Coog's first bowl win took place in San Diego back in 1980. Ya'll call it the "Miracle Bowl" because frankly the Coogs had no business winning that game. Why else call it a 'Miracle?'

Two questions:

You guys still count that as a victory even though it took a 'miracle,' right?

Does a victory due to a 'miracle' count for more than one due to 'luck?'

Oh, and 'good' luck Saturday with UCLA.

Ute Football | 5:00 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

If anything it's entertaining and has more drama than a 7th grade soccer game, and every Ute fan a soccer mom.

Ute fans call out BYU for complaining about a non-existent facemask, yet they complain about calls made and not made against BYU. It's like they should be able to make every biased call themselves, or it doesn't count.

But when a call is so missed the crew makes a statement after the game they rationalize it didn't make a difference (starting from the one foot line vs. the 20 yard line -- what football fan can't answer that one?)

Just goes to show the same old Utes are playing. Coaches (Sanford) laughing at your tackling, Glenn giving your coach the one finger salute, and Holtz with the most backhanded slam at your coach (How does a team with the best non-BCS personel lose the "way" they do, unless just terribly poor coaching? You poor Utes have no program, no leader and no lives.

Wow, it's like a a college team with 25,000 soccer moms trying to fill a 45,000 seat stadium.

Anonymous | 7:30 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

Congrats to Utah. It is just a football game.

Nyron | 7:36 a.m. Dec. 22, 2007

I am amazed that this is supposed to be a ewetah comment section and so many comment on BYU. It really grates on the ewetah fans doesn't it. They did well against Navy. Enjoy it. Let the other teams and games go bye-bye.
Respectfully I salute Utah.

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Poinsettia Bowl: Officials concede call was incorrect

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Poinsettia Bowl: Officials concede call was incorrect