GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Urban Meyer believes SEC officials missed a late hit on Tim Tebow in Saturday’s game against Georgia.
Meyer said Wednesday the crew calling the game should have flagged Bulldogs linebacker Nick Williams for knocking his quarterback to the ground well after he had gotten rid of the football.
Meyer sent video of the play to Rogers Redding, the league’s coordinator of officials. Meyer declined to reveal what the SEC told him, saying he didn’t “want to step out of line.”
Last week the SEC changed its discipline policy about coaches publicly criticizing officials, making the punishment either a fine or a suspensions and doing away with the reprimands.
Meyer told reporters on the weekly SEC conference call the play was directly in front of the referee and should have penalized. Tebow handed off to running back Jeff Demps, took a few steps to his right and wasn’t looking when Williams came unblocked off the right edge and slammed into his chest.
“That should have been a penalty, in my opinion,” Meyer said. “Obviously, it should have been. You’ve got to protect quarterbacks. That’s the whole purpose. It’s right in front of the referee. I’m not sure how they’re going to handle that, but ... that was one of the plays we did send in.”
Meyer didn’t mention the play until asked about it Wednesday, possibly trying to avoid drawing punishment from the league. He also prefaced his comments by saying he has “great respect” for SEC officials and the way the league handles complaints.
The SEC decided to stop handing out reprimands for ripping officials after three coaches in less than a week were reprimanded last month.
Commissioner Mike Slive was given full discretion by the league’s athletic directors and presidents to hand out the punishment. He will determine the amount of fines and lengths of suspensions on a case-by-case basis.
The SEC’s officiating, and public complaints by Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin and Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen, has drawn plenty of unwanted attention for the league.
An officiating crew was suspended last month after it called penalties the league said were not supported by video evidence in the LSU-Georgia game Oct. 3 and the Arkansas-Florida game Oct. 17. The SEC publicly announced the suspensions, an unprecedented move by the conference.
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Comments » 197
EnglewoodVol writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
mbible1utk#324980 writes:
Mike Slive, suspend Urban Meyer now! Show us how serious you are about your ruling that coaches cannot criticize officials! Show us now that you are NOT a Gator fan!
RichmondVol42 writes:
This from the guy who only suspended Spikes for a half. What a joke.
CB4VOLZ writes:
Rest assured that Slive will come to your rescue, Urby, and suspend that nasty ole Dawg for ya....
go_vols_go writes:
What they said!!!!!!
bamavol97 writes:
Guess Meyer didn't get the memo.
IH8Gators writes:
Alright let's see a reprimand for Urban. I bet all the money I have that there will not be one word from Slive. As soon as Slive sees this he will call the official and sked him why did you do that? You are trying to ruin things for me aren't you. The officiating crew that worked this game will be suspended.
agohn writes:
Tebow will be the guy that comes back to all the parties at Florida because he can't hack it in the NFL. Or he'll be a grad assistant with Meyer. I just know I will be glad to not hear Verne Liundquist's love professing for Teblow every Saturday game even if they are not playing. Good Riddance!
FearTheVols1252 writes:
Maybe Slive will suspend Meyer for half a game
Volunatic writes:
I thought that coaches publicly complaining about the officiating was supposed to draw an automatic suspension?
Oh wait, I forgot that the SEC rules apply to everyone except bama and florida.
NEVERMIND!
Major_Magilicutty writes:
Doesn't seem like he really criticized the ref's in public. The only quote in the article is "great confidence."
I would love to see him suspended as much as the next vol...but I don't think this warrants it.
Volunatic writes:
Let's all hold our breath until Slive suspends meyer!
..................
(Am I the only one getting light-headed?)
JonathanMorris writes:
"Meyer says the play was directly in front of the referee and should have drawn a flag."
by defention that is crticism of the refs job. hence he should recieve his penalty Slive.
DownTheField writes:
i'm sure williams thought tebow had the football!
Biggie writes:
Wahhhhhhhhh! Waaaaahhhh! Sob, sob.....
Tebow can take it. Quit treating him like a sissy. That goes for all the other footballers who can dish it out but can't take it.
DownTheField writes:
meyer looks more like a fool each day...
beef4davols writes:
If he was carrying out the fake bootleg he is fair game...didn't see the play so I'm not sure if that applies but you keep hitting him on those plays because he will eventually keep on one of those plays.
VolunteerLifer writes:
Takes alot of nerve to be whining about a late hit when your star linebacker was caught in a pile in the same game trying to gouge someone's eyes out.
Where's the flag on meyer? where's the reprimand? where's the suspension?
memphis_vol_fan writes:
This is ridiculous. Complaining about a late hit after you beat a team by 24?? If Slive is serious about this new stand about criticizing officials, there should be atleast one of these "reprimands" headed Urban Meyer's way!
gainesville_vol writes:
Actually, folks, I agree with Urban (did I actually type that?). It was blantent, the play happened right in front of the referee, and I don't understand why a flag wasn't thrown.
And, I agree with the posters here that Urban has officially criticized the officials. So, what will Slive do? I suspect nothing more than he did to Mullen and Petrino, that is, a letter of reprimand. That will provide further support to Kiffin's statement about, "a meaningless letter," being sent. I will shocked if he suspend Meyer or any other SEC coach for these types of comments. But, he has kinda backed himself into a corner!
Go Vols.
golfballs03 writes:
Suspend him!
Chris4Vols22 writes:
What is he complaining about when the SEC refs helped him win one game, and gave him another?
JonathanMorris writes:
You cant just say "the ref should have called pulled that flag" and then say "i have great confidence in these refs" and thats ok Slive. Because now you are judging intent with critical statements and that would be showing bias. Which we all already know is HEAVY FLORIDA LEAN.
KiFFiNOMiCS writes:
If there is no action by Slive for these comments then it is proof that Meyer does have a "Get Out of Jail Free Card" to do and say whatever he wants as well as his players.
Hey Meyer....those officials also missed Spikes being offsides before he committed his felony on the Georgia player...but I guess if Florida/Spike's moto can be there is no such thing as a fair fight then just call the Tebow play karma.
BigVolD writes:
Slive will not suspend/fine his sugar daddy Meyer. The criticism rule should have been issued with an official disclaimer stating' "The programs of Florida and Alabama are expressly exempt from fine and/or suspension as it relates to this new gag order in 2009/10 so we can assure a cash cow for the SEC Championship Game with 2 unbeaten teams and assurance the winner will bring home a boatload of cash for my, oops, our conference in the National Championship Game."
On second thought, Meyer's criticism proves that a spoiled child will keep expecting more and more. Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie... After the Gators have benefitted from so many calls this year, Urbie is STILL expecting more!
kevin151 writes:
Meyer = Scumbag
JonathanMorris writes:
But thats not what this post or argument is about my friend. Its about Commisoner Slive stating that ANY further CRITICISM of SEC officiating will result in repremand. Regardless if warranted or not. We are not arguing the wether the call should or shouldnt have been thrown, or even if Meyer has a point or case. We are simply saying that he did in fact call out an offical on a call publicly and he should recieve his punishment
uttcut writes:
Now that's funny
Long_Time_Vols_Fan writes:
The bottom line here is that Urban violated Slive's new rule.... the question is what will Slive do about it? While Im no big Tebow fan, cheap shots don't belong in the game...and Urban's second wrong don't make this right. Had he taken it only to the SEC and kept it out of the press, no issues. Urban should be fined or suspended for a game. I mean if they can't beat Vandy without him...
bigorange61 writes:
I don't get this "late hit" nonsense. It was obvious Tebow was no longer participating in the play. Williams body language shows him eyeing his target, loading up, and letting loose a cheap shot on Tebow.
I don't applaud cheap shots on anybody, even if they are wearing something other than the big orange colors. Some dude on another blog said he wished it would have ended Tebow's career.
WTF is this world coming to?
Hoss44 writes:
Has anybody seen Wilbon's comments about Slive and the Gators. Hilarious! When national commentators are talking about the special treatment Meyer gets from Emperor Slive you know there's a problem.
VolunteerLifer writes:
Obviously, the official in question had the flu. Either that, or his non-call was the result of a justified retaliation.
OrangeCrush writes:
Okay Mike, put-up or shut-up.
More to follow, stay tuned...
Hoss44 writes:
Wow, did you really say turds??? There's a FL education working for you.
polymer writes:
Well then this settles it. Another reason for Spikes to have retaliated with an eye gouge on that mean ole' Georgia running back. Suppose now Urban should feel ok about lifting that horrible 1st half suspension he laid on his poor linebacker.
ahillen writes:
Found this video. Does look pretty cheap.
http://video.google.com/videosearch?h...#
kman29 writes:
He looks like a fool how? Because he defends his QB on a cheap hit? At least in his case, he has the rule right. Ah! but when Kiffin runs his mouth about the refs (Despite getting the rule right or not) he is deemed a man of the people! One who is out there exposing the refs and their conspiracies. lol! Love how two faced some of you all are.
With that said, from what I read of what Meyer said and with what Slive stated last week, he should suspend Meyer if he wants his message to come across as serious. If not,(nobody believed he would ever suspend a coach anyway) then it will be open season on refs again by the coaches.
My personal opinion is he wont suspend him or would he any other coach. Think it was more of an threat with no backing. But we shall see
allvol32 writes:
Don't you ever get tired of being the turd?
clariail#233203 writes:
I know the player in question who did it, and yes it was a cheap shot, as many of us who probably have already told him as such. He let the emotion of wanting to tackle Tebow get the best of him. No place for cheap play and yes Spikes should have got at least a full game reprimand. Go Tennessee Kiffinteers.
revjulian writes:
It's time for SEC fans (not just Vol fans) to step up and hold the SEC accountable. The hypocrisy of Urban Meyer to dole out a tap on the wrist for his superstar and ask for punishment for someone else is absurd. I am asking ALL true SEC fans to call SEC Commissioner Mike Slive and request appropriate action for Meyer's latest rules infraction. He can be reached at:
(205) 458-3000 ext. 3002
Call him. You will more than likely be transferred to a voicemail, but leave a message and SEND A MESSAGE. What is good for the goose is good for the gander!
I also have a question to ask and maybe can get some clarification on Kiffin's reprimand for calling out Meyer on signing day. As I understand it, Kiffin said that while Nu'Keese was on campus, Meyer "kept calling him, and calling him (on his cell phone)." If I am not mistaken, NCAA rules state that a coach can only call a recruit ONCE A WEEK. Clarification on this please? Now if Meyer had called Nu'Keese even twice that day that was one time too many and against NCAA rules... not that he was on another campus, but that he was called more than the rules allow
Call the SEC people. Let's hold the entire league up to the same standard.
kman29 writes:
You actually gather your sports info from PTI? lol! Here is a little clue to you on shows like PTI and Around the Horn....its for entertainment! They are paid to stir the pot. Remember, these are the same news sources most of you Vol fans ripped on during the offseason with all their "negative" coverage on Kiffin. But now they are legit sources of critizisim huh? LOL!
Vol86 writes:
Yeh Meyers repects officials. He gets all the calls. Oh yeh, he sends officials life time supply of Tebow panties. Every body a happy.
bigorange61 writes:
If it had been Crompton on the receiving end of that cheap shot, I got to believe Kiffin would have been suspended by now.
REVOL writes:
You're absolutely right. Hit somebody as hard as you can, ok. But, not the QB after the ball is gone or any defenseless (by rule) player or after the whistle.
But, the point is well taken here, Meyer criticised an official, Slive has laid out the punishment. Will he live up to his word?
Also, I think the SEC should suspend Spikes for a game.
Vol86 writes:
We actually got good exposure from them. The pti guys are funny but they alot of times give ya both sides.
Long_Time_Vols_Fan writes:
Hey Kman.... since by your last post its obvious your not a VOL fan...why hang around on our boards??? While I agree with some of your comments...cheap shots don't belong in the game, thats if they are on FL or by FL.. go play on your own teams board
panties4tebow writes:
CRYIN, LYING meyer at his best....whine, whine and whine more!!!!!!!!!!!!
Penalize PEE WEE for complaining!!!!!!!!!!!!
DownTheField writes:
he looks like a fool not because he defends his qb; he looks like a fool because it's so obvious that he's NOT defending his qb...
he's trying to make himself look like less of an idiot for his lame response to the spikes situation... that's the ONLY reason we are hearing about this in the news...
Cryer couldn'y handle the fact that every single ESPN show the past 2 days was criticizing him... and we've seen before how Cryer can't handle criticism
CalPoly_Vol_Fan writes:
wah wah wah C.U.M. sucks!
surfmaster writes:
Actually, Evils (Slive spelled backwards) said and I quote, "Last week the SEC changed its discipline policy about coaches publicly criticizing officials, making the punishment either a fine or a suspensions and doing away with the reprimands." So there should be no reprimand coming and either fine/suspension should be issued, unless Evils is a liar, which would not surprise me. Evils is as Evils does.
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