National officiating coordinator hears cries of football fans yet loves the passion
Steve Shaw, the national coordinator of College Football officials, was the guest speaker at the River Region Quarterback Club on Tuesday. (Graham Dunn)
By GRAHAM DUNN
Steve Shaw has heard it all.
Well, not all of it but he thinks he has heard plenty when it comes to officiating in college football.
The national coordinator for College Football Officials for the NCAA, was the guest speaker for the River Region Quarterback Club on Tuesday at Huntingdon College.
As a head referee, Shaw spent much of his time on the field for the Southeastern Conference and later became the coordinating official for the league in 2011.
He’s aware of the concerns fans have for the game.
“I hear a lot and see a lot,” he said. “It’s no secret that officiating is under attack. But that is true in everything whether its politics, schools, all sports - everything is polarized.”
Shaw, who began his officiating in the Birmingham area with the BFOA, has made it a point to help educate fans.
But it may have been a mistake to publish his email address.
“I made one mistake in that my E-mail (address) is in the (NCAA) Rule Book,” he said. “So you can imagine.”
Thanks to social media, almost any controversy is magnified to a point that it is making it hard for the game to find or keep officials. Under extreme scrutiny, any call, right or wrong, is exacerbated.
“Everything is amplified,” Shaw said. “But all of the conferences are working incessantly to get the calls right. It may not seem like that but I assure you a lot of work goes in to make the officiating better.”
Shaw explained the nature of training officials go through, usually beginning in the spring, with training films watched on a weekly basis. Hours are spent during the week of a game to prepare crews for games.
Unfortunately calls are missed and fans pounce. Recently there was controversy in the game featuring Georgia and Auburn where a fumble was called at the goal line as the Tigers were trying to score. Auburn fans thought quarterback Jackson Arnold had crossed the line before the ball was loose.
Officials both on the field and in the replay booth ruled the ball was loose prior to the touchdown, giving the ball to Georgia.
Georgia coaches were upset the Bulldogs were not awarded a touchdown after Kyron Jones raced to the other end of the field for what would have been a score had the officials not blown the play dead.
Last week, head referee of the crew that night, Ken Williamson, was “suspended indefinitely” but no actual reason was given. Fans believed it was due to the fumble call.
While Shaw did not provide an explanation for the decision of the SEC office, he was certain it was not due to the outcry of fans.
“I’m not sure (of the reason for the suspension,)” Shaw said. “But that is not the first official to be suspended.”
Shaw spoke of the decision to allow student-athletes to be allowed to gamble on pro sports and that he was concerned what it might lead to. He also discussed phrasing used by officials when announcing the decision after a play is reviewed.
“They are now using the term ‘upheld’ and that also allows the replay crew to make a decision a little quicker. You’ve heard the old saying, ‘nothing good happens after midnight.’ It’s also true that nothing happens after two minutes’ when it comes to a decision on a call,” he explained.
The good news is the game of football is at an all-time high in interest with TV ratings higher than ever. The atmosphere at games has also gotten better, which is why Shaw wants the product to be the best it can be.
“There is a lot of pressure on the officials,” he said. “We are working diligently to improve the work and I think there are parts where we are getting better each year.”
Computers are becoming more of a part of the game but to a point.
“We are looking into AI but there are certain issues where it still has a problem,” he said. “We asked for judgement on targeting calls and AI tends to find other penalties such as holding instead, so, it’s not ready for primetime yet.”