I was bored this morning, so I went digging through Kenpom's ref database since we're playing PSU tonight. Last year, you may recall in our loss at PSU, that they shot more FTs than actual shots - 45 to 44 - a feat that they would not even come close to replicating the remainder of that season. We were called for 30 fouls in that game - the next highest was 24 in the OT loss to Michigan.
Anyway, this season so far there have been 40 different officials who have worked a B1G conference game, though just 19 have worked at least 5% of the conference games and only 13 have worked at least 10% of the games. Kenpom has a neat feature that has figured out which refs call more or fewer fouls than average, and there is a very wide range within this group.
The extreme foul callers:
Paul Szelc - 15 conference games this year including the NU-Neb game. He has a rating of +1.8 fouls above average, which puts him 5th out of at least the top 200 officials in D1. He was one of the three at PSU last year, and also reffed our DePaul game this year where 48 fouls were whistled, along with the Howard game where their best player fouled out in 20 minutes which led us to victory. Despite the extreme amount of fouls called during games in which he officiates, we are 8-6 in conference games the last 5 seasons plus 8-0 in nonconference play. If he's a ref, grab an extra beer, because you'll probably be there longer.
Verne Harris - 9 conference games this year, none with NU. Harris used to be a Pac-12 ref and is on the downswing of his career. His rating is +1.5. The only conference game he's officiated involving us was last year at Washington, when high-knees Jeffrey Anderson ejected Collins in the 1st half.
The high foul callers:
Larry Scirotto - Ah yes, good ol' short Larry. 12 conference games this year including 3 NU games (MN, IL, UCLA), the most of any official so far. His rating is +0.9. We're 0-3 this year and 4-8 over the past 5 seasons in conference games in which he officiates. Most recently known for not hearing Collins call a timeout despite literally standing next to him against UCLA. He, along with the aforementioned Verne Harris, officiated the Nebraska-Michigan game on Tuesday where Nebraska choked away an 11-point lead in the first half and Michigan had a FT advantage of 23-4. He actually took a year off from officiating in 2023-24 to become the chief of police in Pittsburgh, but was then fired 18 months later because he wanted to go back to reffing while still being the chief.
Earl Walton - 12 conference games this year but just one involving NU - the OT loss at Rutgers. His rating is +0.8. We do not do well when Earl Walton officiates our games. 2-9 in conference play over the past 5 years, though hilariously one of the wins was the upset over Purdue in 2023-24 where both teams shot a combined 73 FTs and 56 fouls were called. He also reffed the PSU game last year, along with the Rutgers game in 2023-24 when Langborg was ejected for the ludicrous F2 and the Chicago State game that we lost. This year he also called the UVa game with a combined 51 fouls and 60 FTs where 4 players fouled out and our entire starting lineup had 4 or 5 fouls, as well as the OK St game with a combined 63 FTs. Overall we are 3-14 the past 5 seasons when he's a ref.
Andy O'Brien - 8 conference games this year, including 2 NU games (OSU, MN). A "younger" official, this will be his first season with the B1G as his primary conference. His rating is also +0.8. We're 0-5 in conference games when he officiates, the most games without a win of any official.
Jeffrey "High Knees" Anderson - 15 conference games this year, none involving NU so far. In fact, he hasn't officiated an NU game since the previously mentioned Washington game where he ejected Collins. Curious if this becomes the same as Courtney Green, who never worked an NU game following the ejection of Collins in an OT loss at Purdue in 2023-24 and actually left the B1G entirely. His rating is +0.5, and we are 4-4 in conference games the past 5 seasons. Other lowlights from last year include the Butler game where BB got screwed and the loss at Iowa on the buzzer-beating 3 by Dix.
The less-foul caller:
Randy Richardson - 16 conference games this year, including 2 NU games (OSU, Rutgers). Another "younger" official who was working his way up the P12 until the implosion of that conference. His rating is -0.6. This is the first year he's officiated any NU games.
The extreme non-foul caller:
Mike Reed - 13 conference games so far this year, including 2 NU games (MN, USC). A longtime well-regarded P12 official who moved over to the B1G last year. His rating is -1.2. We are 3-1 in conference games involving Mike, with victories last year over Illinois in OT at home and Minny at the BTT.
As for the rest of the refs, we should be happy to see officials like Keith Kimble (4-5), Doug Sirmons (4-5), Brian Dorsey (7-6) or Tim Comer (6-5), but hide your eyes if we get Kelly Pfeifer (7-11) or DJ Carstensen (5-11).
Anyway, this season so far there have been 40 different officials who have worked a B1G conference game, though just 19 have worked at least 5% of the conference games and only 13 have worked at least 10% of the games. Kenpom has a neat feature that has figured out which refs call more or fewer fouls than average, and there is a very wide range within this group.
The extreme foul callers:
Paul Szelc - 15 conference games this year including the NU-Neb game. He has a rating of +1.8 fouls above average, which puts him 5th out of at least the top 200 officials in D1. He was one of the three at PSU last year, and also reffed our DePaul game this year where 48 fouls were whistled, along with the Howard game where their best player fouled out in 20 minutes which led us to victory. Despite the extreme amount of fouls called during games in which he officiates, we are 8-6 in conference games the last 5 seasons plus 8-0 in nonconference play. If he's a ref, grab an extra beer, because you'll probably be there longer.
Verne Harris - 9 conference games this year, none with NU. Harris used to be a Pac-12 ref and is on the downswing of his career. His rating is +1.5. The only conference game he's officiated involving us was last year at Washington, when high-knees Jeffrey Anderson ejected Collins in the 1st half.
The high foul callers:
Larry Scirotto - Ah yes, good ol' short Larry. 12 conference games this year including 3 NU games (MN, IL, UCLA), the most of any official so far. His rating is +0.9. We're 0-3 this year and 4-8 over the past 5 seasons in conference games in which he officiates. Most recently known for not hearing Collins call a timeout despite literally standing next to him against UCLA. He, along with the aforementioned Verne Harris, officiated the Nebraska-Michigan game on Tuesday where Nebraska choked away an 11-point lead in the first half and Michigan had a FT advantage of 23-4. He actually took a year off from officiating in 2023-24 to become the chief of police in Pittsburgh, but was then fired 18 months later because he wanted to go back to reffing while still being the chief.
Earl Walton - 12 conference games this year but just one involving NU - the OT loss at Rutgers. His rating is +0.8. We do not do well when Earl Walton officiates our games. 2-9 in conference play over the past 5 years, though hilariously one of the wins was the upset over Purdue in 2023-24 where both teams shot a combined 73 FTs and 56 fouls were called. He also reffed the PSU game last year, along with the Rutgers game in 2023-24 when Langborg was ejected for the ludicrous F2 and the Chicago State game that we lost. This year he also called the UVa game with a combined 51 fouls and 60 FTs where 4 players fouled out and our entire starting lineup had 4 or 5 fouls, as well as the OK St game with a combined 63 FTs. Overall we are 3-14 the past 5 seasons when he's a ref.
Andy O'Brien - 8 conference games this year, including 2 NU games (OSU, MN). A "younger" official, this will be his first season with the B1G as his primary conference. His rating is also +0.8. We're 0-5 in conference games when he officiates, the most games without a win of any official.
Jeffrey "High Knees" Anderson - 15 conference games this year, none involving NU so far. In fact, he hasn't officiated an NU game since the previously mentioned Washington game where he ejected Collins. Curious if this becomes the same as Courtney Green, who never worked an NU game following the ejection of Collins in an OT loss at Purdue in 2023-24 and actually left the B1G entirely. His rating is +0.5, and we are 4-4 in conference games the past 5 seasons. Other lowlights from last year include the Butler game where BB got screwed and the loss at Iowa on the buzzer-beating 3 by Dix.
The less-foul caller:
Randy Richardson - 16 conference games this year, including 2 NU games (OSU, Rutgers). Another "younger" official who was working his way up the P12 until the implosion of that conference. His rating is -0.6. This is the first year he's officiated any NU games.
The extreme non-foul caller:
Mike Reed - 13 conference games so far this year, including 2 NU games (MN, USC). A longtime well-regarded P12 official who moved over to the B1G last year. His rating is -1.2. We are 3-1 in conference games involving Mike, with victories last year over Illinois in OT at home and Minny at the BTT.
As for the rest of the refs, we should be happy to see officials like Keith Kimble (4-5), Doug Sirmons (4-5), Brian Dorsey (7-6) or Tim Comer (6-5), but hide your eyes if we get Kelly Pfeifer (7-11) or DJ Carstensen (5-11).
