Reversing some penalty calls

By Jordan Moore on October 22, 2009 10:51 AM | 12 Comments

The Pac-10 has come back to USC with favorable rulings on several penalty calls in Saturday's Notre Dame game.

On the Irish's fake field goal attempt in the first quarter, Pac-10 officiating coordinator Dave Cutaia has determined that it in fact was an illegal substitution. The player in question was ruled to be among the substitutes leaving the field and stopped about three yards from the sideline, which makes this play illegal. The penalty should have been five yards and a redo of the down, which would have made it 4th-and-7 from the 32-yard line. Instead, Notre Dame used the play to reach the 2-yard line and set up a touchdown one play later.

Also, one of Taylor Mays' personal foul penalties was ruled incorrect, according to Cutaia. On his first penalty in the fourth quarter, the Notre Dame runner was determined to be inbounds when Mays hit him, nullifying the out-of-bounds late-hit call.

Also, on the final drive of the game, Mays' hit on the "defenseless" Notre Dame wide receiver was ruled questionable. Cutaia determined that Mays led with his shoulder, went over top of the receiver and did not contact the receiver above the shoulder. It could have been called a late hit, but not definitively.

University Southern California Trojans

Reversing some penalty calls

Reversing some penalty calls

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