Through five weeks of the season, even those most critical of the Pacific-10 Conference adding instant replay this season say that they think the system has been working.
“I was very outspoken against replay,” Arizona State coach Dirk Koetter said. “Not because of replay but I think we fiddle around with the rules too much when we don’t to. But I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Replay is designed to make sure we get it right, and I think it’s done that.”
“I was not a proponent of it, and I’m still lukewarm on it,” UCLA coach Karl Dorrell added. “But I see there’s some possibilities of it being positive.”
Nearly every major NCAA Division I conference now uses some form of replay. The Pac-10 gives the power to call for a replay to officials sitting in the press box. In fact, coaches say that’s about the only change that they might make to the system.
“If we can have something close to the NFL, that would be my only thing,” Arizona coach Mike Stoops said. “But it’s just more to think about during the course of a game. We’ve got enough going on.”
“If it’s done like the NFL, where you have to be very smart about the choices you make because you only have a few, that would be a good way to go,” Oregon State coach Mike Riley said. “That has a tendency not to bog down a game.”
Putting the choice of replay in the hands of coaches, though, would require some additions to the press box. In the NFL, it’s often assistant coaches in the press box who recommend to the head coach to challenge a play.
“The problem is we have no video screens in our booths,” Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said. “That’s what NFL teams have. Unless we’re going to do that, you’re not going to have anything to look at except the video screens every fan looks at.”
The biggest fear about using replay was that it would slow games down, but the coaches agree that that hasn’t been the case. They credit the officials with figuring out what, and what not, to review.
“Anything that helps make the officials’ job easier and get the call right is good for the game,” Bellotti said. “You have to trust the technical advisor upstairs, and I do. Their choices have been good. Overall I’m pleased with it, it’s good for college football.”
Oregon State problems: Beavers coach Mike Riley said he was “disappointed” in the involvement of two of his players, and a former player, in the death of an 18-year-old over Labor Day weekend. Michael Marks and Gregg Peat, both redshirts this year, were charged Monday with four counts of furnishing alcohol that led to the death of Lance Strickland.
“We’ve very disappointed,” Riley said. “It’s a tragic event that occurred. It’s almost beyond belief and we’re disappointed in our players’ involvement. We’re dealing with them in discipline areas and other areas of their lives.”
Bigger than the East: Stanford coach Walt Harris, in his first season after coaching at Pittsburgh, said the biggest difference between the Pac-10 and the Big East is, simply, the athletes.
“This conference, there’s more athletes, big athletes,” Harris said. “Not just the wide receivers and runners, but there are big, fast linemen.”
UCLA struggles: UCLA coach Karl Dorrell said his team was not looking ahead to this week’s game against No. 10 California when it was nearly upset by Washington last week. He said his team just wasn’t good.
“We did not play well last week,” Dorrell said. “We didn’t execute. We did not have one of our better games against Washington, but we were able to pull it out.”
Riley impressed with Hill: Riley walked away from his team’s victory over Washington State last week impressed with Cougars receiver Jason Hill. Hill, who left the game with an injury, has 28 catches for 521 yards and seven touchdowns.
“He’s impressive to watch,” Riley said. “He’s physical, he goes up and gets the ball with his hands. You have a big target who can catch the ball wherever it’s thrown. I’ve always thought he was good and seeing him live just reinforces that.”
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