PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – One of the big questions of the night in Pitt’s 24-19 loss to Virginia. How are you able to run a play when the officials aren’t ready?
“It’s a great question,” said Pitt head coach Pat Narduzi. “I’m sure (ACC leader of officials) Al Riveron will answer that for us on Monday or Tuesday. It’s our job to get lined up and get in position. It’s their job to get lined up and get in position as well. We had a stop on fourth and one. No explanation.”
Let’s set the scene for that play.
There was 6:06 left in the game with Virginia facing a fourth and one from the Pitt 24-yard line. It wasn’t a quick-to-the-line play, Virginia subbed in a bunch formation. They hiked the ball and Pitt made the stop, Panthers get the ball back with six minutes to play down two. Whistle blows and the lead referee, Nate Black, announced the officials were not prepared for the start of the play.
Virginia gets a free do over, converted the fourth down on the second try and ran four more minutes off the clock and added a field goal to make it a five-point game.