Report: ACC referee Gary Patterson quits over frustration with UConn-Syracuse replay handling

ACC referee Gary Patterson has quit over frustration with a replay review during Week 2, ESPN’s Andrea Adelson and David Hale reported. The review took place during the UConn at Syracuse game.

With 1:02 remaining in the first half, Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli’s arm was hit as he dropped back to throw and the ball went forward eight yards afterward. After the officials initially ruled it incomplete, the Orange snapped the ball with 58 seconds to go.

However, a flag was thrown, and Patterson announced “replay had buzzed in prior to the previous play” after talking on his headset. The referees ultimately upheld the call of an incomplete pass.

But ESPN reported there wasn’t a physical indication from an official on the field that the booth buzzed down. A spokesperson for the ACC told ESPN that officials were buzzed to initiate a review, though the timing wasn’t necessarily “ideal for it to be a seamless replay” and the conference handled the situation internally. ESPN reported Patterson’s frustration’s centered on interference from the ACC by forcing a replay after the following play already happened.

Speaking with Adelson and Hale, ESPN rules analyst Bill LeMonnier questioned the process of the replay. He said it’s ultimately the referee’s decision to rule a play dead before saying it was too late to do so.

“Let’s say they’re right up at the line, the ball’s being snapped, and the buzzers go off,” LeMonnier said. “It’s the referee’s discretion to shut the play down vs. saying it’s too late. It’s supposed to be in the referee’s hands.”

Patterson had been with the ACC since 2002 as an official and served as the head referee for Saturday’s game. The conference confirmed to ESPN that he terminated his contract and was due to officiate the “Backyard Brawl” between Pitt and West Virginia. The ACC said officiating crews have already been adjusted for Week 3’s slate of games.

UConn and Syracuse went to double-overtime on Saturday before the Orange eventually came away with the victory to avoid the upset. The ACC also has a new feature in place for its broadcasts to show the command center during reviews, giving fans insights as to what goes into decisions. According to ESPN, the UConn-Syracuse game did not have the command center feed on its broadcast.