'Out of our control': Lane Kiffin gave his thoughts on the officiating in the Alabama game
While there is not the opportunity to throw a flag on Monday and alter the outcome of a football game played on Saturday, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin still had thoughts about the officiating in the Alabama game.
The Tide came into the game as the most-penalized team in the Southeastern Conference with nearly nine penalties per game for an average of 74.6 yards. On Saturday they were flagged five times for 45 yards to Ole Miss’ six penalties for 50 yards.
Plenty of balance when it came to penalties on Saturday but it was the lack of calls on Alabama and some of the extracurricular activities that transpired after the whistle on some plays in the final moments.
One of the biggest plays that many fans, and those calling the game, that did not draw a flag was what appeared to be a missed facemask call on Jaxson Dart. Alabama’s Dallas Turner was called for another facemask in the second half, which was hard to ignore as Dart’s head was nearly facing the opposite way as the rest of his body.
Cameras also caught Turner keeping Dart on the ground and pushing his helmet into the ground twice as he got up from a play on Ole Miss’ final drive of the game.
Not only was Kiffin concerned about it, but so were those close to Dart.
“You probably missed me by a day. I probably would’ve said a lot of different things,” Kiffin said on Monday when asked about his thoughts on the officiating.
“Like I’ve said, we’ve put the game behind us. We can’t go back and win the game by calling a different play, changing something. It is what it is. Obviously the Jaxson part and after the whistle stuff is disappointing. Talked to his mom, just kind of apologizing even though it’s out of our control. She mentioned it’s just a shame her son gets treated different based on what SEC program that he’s at on game day and protected different. It is what it is and (we) move on.
Kiffin then made sure to clarify those comments before moving on to the next question.
“Lets make sure that quote was right. Like, SHE said, not me. I don’t want to get fined today. Can’t fine me for what someone else says.”
Kiffin was then asked his views towards an ongoing theory of referee bias in the SEC.
Anger towards referee crews for missed calls or, in the case of Jordan Watkins, a player getting flagged for something that he did not do.
It is not in the best interest for a coach to offer his thoughts on if there is such a thing as referee bias, but Kiffin is not one to shy away from a question.
He has been on both sides of the spectrum having coached on the opposite sideline of a program such as Alabama. Kiffin has also coached on the same sideline, experience both the benefits and the negatives of what a flag can bring.
“That’s been talked about for a long time, being around this conference,” Kiffin said of referee bias. “I know fans do it. …I’ll just say I’ve been on both sides of it and I’ll leave it at that.”
