In the Tank

By Mike Tankersley

It's time to stop blaming officials for college football's rules

It continues to infuriate me about the terrible misconception that exists among fans in general and some media folks over the celebration rule in college football.

When the punter for LSU was called for taunting on his fake punt run for a touchdown against Florida, many in the media went ballistic. "That official should be suspended for his next game," shouted Michael Wilbon on ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption" on Monday.

Suspended? Really? For doing his job?

The official did not create the rule. College football's coaches did. They do not want the college game to turn into NFL Lite. It turns off many fans. Many of those fans are season-ticket holders. Many are major donors. What a concept -- trying to keep the game acceptable to the customer base. More industries should try it.

The larger point is, folks at the college level have a higher calling than do the folks in the NFL. They want to teach. They want to shape young men's lives. They want to equip them for the future, instill good life skills, even proper manners.

LSU coach Les Miles gets it. He said it was a proper call. He called it a learning experience. And he took action. I doubt that punter or anyone else on LSU's team does that again.

Here's the real problem. People who criticize the rule don't understand it. It wasn't that the LSU punter celebrated too much. It was that he taunted the opposition BEFORE he crossed the goal line. Coaches wanted to cut this kind of thing out of the game, thus the tougher penalty.

Now, Miles very well might have complained to the SEC office, arguing whether the action of the punter merited a penalty at all. That might be up for debate and there is room for arguing both ways. I thought it was relatively mild. But it clearly happened before the TD.

If the action of the punter -- who seemed to realize his mistake as he was making it -- is deemed to be acceptable in the future, I have no problem with that. It certainly seemed spontaneous and not overly egregious. Maybe the rule gets tweaked in the offseason -- again.

But there is a place for this rule in the college game. The inmates don't need to be running the asylum. But whatever you think of it, it is not the officials who are doing this. It is the coaches. And thank you, Les Miles, for accepting that responsibility.

Listen to "In the Tank," with Mike Tankersley, weekdays from noon to 2:oo p.m. on 1300 WTLS/106.5 FM. Watch live video streaming on Tallassee Times TV and Network Alabama.

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