Pac-10 coaches stewing over controversial penalty
COLLEGE FOOTBALL / PAC-10 REPORT
USC's Pete Carroll and others dispute unsportsmanlike-conduct call on Washington's Jake Locker, which helped lead to a failed extra-point try that prevented Huskies from forcing overtime against BYU.
Three days after the controversial penalty against Washington quarterback Jake Locker, a call that helped cost the Huskies a chance at overtime against Brigham Young, the grumbling continued among Pacific 10 Conference coaches.
Locker was flagged for flinging the football into the air after a touchdown run with two seconds remaining in regulation. Washington's subsequent 35-yard extra-point attempt was blocked and BYU won, 28-27.
No surprise that Washington Coach Tyrone Willingham disagreed with the unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty. Other Pac-10 coaches concurred that the rule -- intended to discourage players from showboating or taunting -- was misapplied.
"I don't think he was hot-dogging," Oregon State Coach Mike Riley said. "I hate to see it impact the game when I thought he was just being happy."
USC Coach Pete Carroll said he wants the rule reevaluated to allow for spontaneous celebrations.
"Let it be real," he said. "Hopefully we can figure it out."
California Coach Jeff Tedford and Carroll mentioned the penalty to their players as a cautionary tale. Only Jim Harbaugh of Stanford seemed oblivious to the tumult.
"I haven't seen the play," Harbaugh said.
Support for Willingham
Washington President Mark Emmert expressed support for Willingham and his staff Tuesday during an interview with the Associated Press.
"They're working very, very hard to be successful and I support him because of that," Emmert said.
Willingham's record with the Huskies is 11-27 and, after this season, he has one more year on a contract that pays him $1.4 million annually.
"You don't have to be a mind-reader to know that people are disappointed when we lose games," Emmert said. "We have not helped them at all with this schedule that was set up years ago. It's an awful schedule."
Brigham Young is ranked No. 18 this week after its win over the Huskies, and Washington, which was routed in its opener by No. 16 Oregon, faces No. 3 Oklahoma on Saturday.
Mow 'em down
Cal is claiming victory in a battle that has nothing to do with the football field.
The athletic department wants to build a multimillion-dollar complex beside Memorial Stadium but has met resistance from environmentalists concerned about clearing away a grove of trees.
