One of the more interesting closed-door sessions at the SEC spring meetings might have been the football coaches’ discussion with the league’s officiating chief about pace of play and how quickly the ball should be snapped.
The SEC has coaches at both extremes of that intense debate, with fast-offense advocates (Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, for one) and outspoken opponents of the style (Arkansas’ Bret Bielema, for one).
“It’s a Democrat-Republican issue,” SEC coordinator of officials Steve Shaw said. “There are some Democrats, and there are some Republicans, and they are probably never going to change sides.”
Shaw, for the record, declared himself non-partisan on the issue.
“It has been a healthy debate and, I think, will continue to be there,” Shaw said.
He said up-tempo teams complained in the past that officiating crews were inconsistent in placing the ball — some quick and slow slow. He believes they have become more consistent.
“The words to them are: You will not walk, and you will not sprint to spot the ball,” he said. “We expect a crisp jog.”
On another topic, Shaw said college football’s controversial targeting foul, which carries an automatic ejection, has had the desired effect. Of the 19 targeting fouls called in the SEC last season, 14 were in the first eight weeks and only five the rest of the season, he noted.
“We saw a significant change in player behavior,” he said.
Shaw cheered a recent change in one aspect of the targeting rule. Last year, the ejection — but not the accompanying 15-yard penalty — was overturned if replay showed the call in error. This year, the 15-yard penalty also will be negated if the foul is overturned.
“We will not back off of calling targeting,” Shaw said. “We can’t afford to for the health of our game.”
Shaw also provided details of the SEC’s plan to experiment by using an additional official on the field this season with one of its nine crews.
Referee Matt Loeffler’s crew will get an eighth official, who will be positioned in the offensive backfield, will be called center judge and will wear a “C” on his back, Shaw said. The expanded crew will work at least one game involving each team in the league.
“We’ll get good feedback from the coaches and really see if this is something that is beneficial to our game,” Shaw said.
Basketball tourney: The SEC's decision to play its men's basketball tournament in St. Louis and Tampa, Fla., in 2018 and 2022, respectively, means the event won't return to Atlanta for at least the next 11 years. The tournament already was committed to Nashville, Tenn., for all other seasons through 2025.
“Disappointing,” Georgia coach Mark Fox said. “I’d obviously like to see the tournament in Atlanta some. With the new (Falcons) stadium, will that one day be possible? I hope so.
“But in all fairness, I understand the SEC baseball tournament has a permanent site (in Hoover, Ala.), the football championship game has a permanent site (in Atlanta), and basketball might have a fairly permanent site in Nashville.”
SEC Network: The men's basketball coaches discussed in their meetings how the new SEC Network, scheduled to launch in August, can raise their sport's profile in a football-dominated league.
“We had a lot of conversation (about) how we can utilize the network to springboard us,” Fox said. “I think that’ll be a great additional tool.”
