Utah's athletic director reminds the referee why they fired him, a breakdown
What Happened
The Utah Utes are hosting their in-state rivals, the undefeated BYU Cougars, in a close and intense game. With just over a minute remaining, the Utes believe they have secured a victory, leading 21-19. As the Cougars face a critical 4th-and-10 play, the Utes' players and fans start celebrating, convinced they have won the game. However, the officials call a timeout just before the snap, much to the Utes' dismay. Undeterred, the Cougars get another chance, and this time they convert the 4th-and-10 play, keeping their drive alive. The Utes' sideline erupts in celebration, thinking they have finally stopped the Cougars, but a flag is thrown, and a holding penalty is called on the Utes, giving BYU a new set of downs. The Utes' players and fans are outraged, believing the call was unjustified. Utah's athletic director, who has been with the program for 12 years, storms onto the field and confronts the officials, harshly criticizing their "professionalism" and accusing them of "stealing" the game from the Utes. The game comes down to the final seconds, with BYU converting a field goal to take a 22-21 lead. The Utes have one last chance, but their attempts at a lateral-filled return are unsuccessful, and the game ends with the Cougars emerging victorious. In the aftermath, the athletic director can be seen arguing with the officials, specifically mentioning that they had fired the lead referee, Kevin Maher, from the Pac-12 conference, and now he is officiating in the Big 12. This suggests there may be a history of animosity between the two parties. The Utes' head coach is also seen gesturing angrily at the officials, seemingly telling them to "step up" and do a better job. The emotional rollercoaster of the game has left both teams and their fans in a state of shock and disbelief, with the Utes feeling they were robbed of a victory they believed they had earned.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentbeen an athletic director for 12 years
this game was absolutely stolen from us
we won this game someone else stole it
from us this was not fair to our team
I'm disgusted by the professionalism of
the officiating crew tonight thank you
thank you all right harsh words from the
athletic director who just sat down
impromptu and let it rip this breakdown
is brought to you by Mountain Dew they
were winning the game he says we w won
this game well they're up 21 to 19 1
minute 35 seconds left and BYU who's
undefeated fourth and 10 all the way
backed up so yes they think they won the
game they think this is ours you know
BYU is a little nervous Utah's clapping
it up they believe they've got this one
locked up look at those pom poms look at
them waving in the air they're going to
make the stop why wouldn't they so
here's the first fourth and 10 snapped
play r out almost sacked picks him up
quarterback rolls and
then they think they won they're
celebrating but clearly the play was
dead or something and the refs get
together and say uh so no play he's like
yeah no play coach called timeout it was
it was close but called timeout but Utah
thinks you know for a second they think
they made the Stop and they won but
here's the replay saying timeout timeout
timeout right before they snap the ball
so a little fake out there momentum
emotional swing coach of Utah oh
ah all right but hey it's still fourth
and 10 okay BYU they're still in a tough
spot they're not happy Utah's happy even
though they're four- four one and four
in conference having a tough season this
would be a big win so the pom poms are
up the crowd is dancing the players are
getting up right just one more stop
they'll win this game here we go QB's
got it there he's and taken down taken
down a stop they celebr they're shooting
arrows they're thanking God they're
jumping they're thanking the crowd
getting in the video crowd is
celebrating everyone's going crazy let's
go tries to do the upside down glasses
can't really do it and then uh-oh flag
holding on the defense number five 10
yard penalty automatic first down
oh what twice they thought they had the
game one here is the call this is the
controversial call I'm not going to sit
here and tell you I know what the right
call is but I want you guys to sit in
the comment section and tell me what the
right call is because you guys know all
right so this is the hold call that
everyone's upset about and you can see
he bumps him there and then goes down
from that angle you can't really see the
hands you can see the the ref throw the
flag here's a sideline angle someone
shot on their phone of the two and this
just has the first
initial contact looks like the defender
bumps him on the outside shoulder then
the receiver Cuts in and that's all we
really got here but when I piece it
together it doesn't look like the ref
called it off that initial contact it
looks like he's calling it off
whatever's happening there because off
this touches the outside shoulder
receiver tries to run in right
here it looks like he's not touching him
both hands are off and then
re-engages but you can't tell what
really is going on watch so this is
you're G to have the official that makes
the call in view he's pretty far away
top right of your screen and if I ISO
just those two there's the play and that
official and he doesn't call it on the
initial contact it's this contact right
there where you see number five's right
hand kind of rip and the back hand is on
his shoulder where he decides yeah I'm
going throw a flag what do you got leave
a comment you guys know is that holding
is it not is everything holding all the
time they just choose to call it
sometimes maybe I don't know anyway
first and 10 they still can get the stop
they can still make a pick do they oh oh
that would have been interception for
the game he can't believe it he thinks
he should have grabbed it now it's
second and 10 still they're up they can
make a stop number 12 the QB steps back
throws the ball catch Defender says no
no no no no that's not a catch they go
under the hood they look at the replay
again I think Utah is saying rule it no
catch come on come on you've been us
this whole time rule it no catch looks
like a catch there and does he get his
hands under yep and then he rolls looks
like his hand is under there looks like
a catch to me again I'm no expert but
that one looks like a catch to me but I
think Utah is just this is the third in
instances of like what the hell like
yeah really on the field stands first
down uhoh oh not a catch I don't like
that because now Bo BYU's got momentum
they get another first down right there
they're close to field goal range all
they got to do is pitch it he runs in
now they're in field goal range and some
and Utah is all of a sudden uhoh they're
nervous they're this is oh can't
breathe chest is heavy uh oh please miss
please miss no BYU drills it to stay
undefeated well there's three seconds
left they're celebrating Utah coach
ah
oh high five Galore in the crowd and
then you got the quarterback looking for
his captain where you at where you at
where you at big all hug big all hug
look at this this is cute I'm going hold
your head you hold my head let's look
into each other's eyes tell ourselves
we'll remember this forever we're best
friends we're going to tell our kids
about this someday you and me here we go
let's do it these guys are shocked they
can't believe it what just happened this
guy's shocked but in a happy way he he's
he's like what and then you got the
squib kick and the million laterals and
even if this got run back for a
touchdown it wouldn't have counted cuz
the athletic director for Utah ran onto
the field in the middle of this play to
argue with the officials and then he's
on the field right here listening in and
this is where it gets interesting
because he's listening in he's listening
in and they say like whatever yeah the
game's over I'm G to read his lips right
here I'm going to go very slow the first
time because this is what he says he
because that's why we fired you in the
Pack 12
so a little faster that's why we fired
you in the Pack
12 that's why we fired you waving his
finger in his face like that's why we
fired you I was like wait what what
happened so Utah just went from the Pack
12 to the Big 12 and um I guess they're
not excited about it and then I saw this
tweet where the guy says the lead
referee Kevin Maher was a longtime Pack
12 referee that joined the 12 this year
like the UTS so this athletic
director says that they I guess all the
athletic directors I don't really know
how it works they got this uh head
official fired in the Pack 12 he had to
get a new job a new landing spot he
lands in the Big 12 and now he's dealing
with him again in a big 12 so I guess
there's history between this official
and this athletic director and that's
why he's so mad as well as all the times
they thought they were going to win and
then you see the coach goes uh what you
call all that
you guys something something step
up so I don't know what that is you guys
help me here you
guys and that's definitely I think right
here step up I think that's step up I
think this is you guys and I don't know
like you guys needed to step up you guys
just needed a step up something like
that and ref says something he goes yeah
looks like Josh Donaldson to me right
there but uh yeah so he's upset the ad's
upset the other coach is like uh just
looking for a handshake okay never mind
then fans can't believe it hands on
heads just desponded horrible horrible
boo thumbs down middle finger and then
uh Big 12 finds him 40 Grand really
large fine but yeah you can't be saying
stuff like that so of course you got to
find a ton of money and then he came out
and he was like hey I was just upset
sorry it's like yeah dude a lot of
people get upset after losses you still
can't say that uh but interesting
that there might be a history between
That official and Utah I mean Pack 12
officials I think they're like a hashtag
meme situation anyway grab your friends
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