NORMAN, Okla. — As Oklahoma prepares for another road game against a Pacific-10 Conference foe, university President David Boren said he doesn’t expect similar officiating issues when the Sooners play Washington on Saturday.
Two years ago, Oklahoma lost 34-33 at Oregon after an acknowledged blown call by a replay official on an onside kickoff led to Oregon’s winning touchdown in the final minute. Replays showed that the onside kickoff was touched by an Oregon player before it traveled the required 10 yards, and, therefore, possession should have been awarded to Oklahoma.
The video also showed an Oklahoma player actually recovered the ball, although that aspect of the play was not reviewable under the instant replay rule.
“I think there’s a real desire that we never have any repeat of controversy like that,” Boren said Wednesday.
In the days following the Oregon game, Boren sent a letter to then-Big 12 Conference Commissioner Kevin Weiberg, saying the officiating problems were beyond an “outrageous injustice,” and asking him to pursue having the game eliminated from the record books and having the officials involved in the game suspended for the remainder of the season.
Weiberg responded with a statement saying the result of the game would stand.
The Pac-10 suspended the game’s officiating crew for one game. The referee in that game, Dave Cutaia, now is the league’s coordinator of football officiating.
Boren also called for the Pac-10 to change its policy that requires only Pac-10 officials be used for nonconference home games. That policy has not changed, though, and Pac-10 officials will call the Oklahoma-Washington game.
Oklahoma officials hinted after the Oregon game that the Sooners might not play at Washington if Pac-10 officials would be used, but later softened their stance and said the university would honor its contract with Washington, which played in Norman in 2006.
Boren said that current Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe and Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen have held discussions in recent months.
“I think they’re being extremely sensitive and they’re trying very hard to make sure there is objectivity,” Boren said.
The rest of the on-field crew from the Oklahoma-Oregon game was umpire Dennis Angel, head linesman Dan Antonietti, line judge Manuel Alonzo, side judge Dave Curschman, field judge Dan Spriesterbach and back judge Steve Hudson. Pac-10 spokesman Jim Muldoon said while the league won’t announce the names of the officiating crew members for the Oklahoma-Washington game until Saturday, “I think it’s safe to say” none of those men would call the game.
Boren said he still thinks it would be wise to institute a reform that would require games between opponents from different conferences to be officiated by a crew from a third conference.
“While I’d like to see that as a reform, it is not particularly aimed at the Pac-10,” Boren said. “Any time any two conferences are playing, it just kind of makes sense to use officials from a third conference.”
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said earlier this week he would be willing to play future road games against Pac-10 foes, although no such games are now on the horizon. Boren echoed that sentiment.
“We would not have a problem with that,” Boren said.
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