Isms

It may seem cliché but one of the funniest Halloween costumes is the blind referee. If you’re a sports fan, the referee scenario undoubtedly has run through your mind.

I’m not into conspiracy theories but ...

At least six calls were missed during Saturday’s Nebraska-Ohio State football game, calls that could have given Nebraska a signature road win or handed Ohio State an even bigger margin of victory.

Two of the most notable: the spot on Emmet Johnson’s first-down run that turned into a third and one with 20-some seconds ticking off the clock, and the lack of a call when Buckeye coach Ryan Day threw the headset on the field.

Didn’t Matt Rhule get an unsportsmanlike conduct call earlier this season when he did the same thing?

There were multiple non-holding calls, including an OSU lineman tackling a Husker defender by the neck, and two offensive pass interference calls that were questionable.

It’s not the first time B1G refs have made mistakes. Since the ‘Skers joined the conference, it seems like referees have held a grudge against the boys of fall from Lincoln. Or, at least that’s the idea some fans and a lotta armchair quarterbacks spew on social media.

The thing is, college officiating across the country is sketchy. I mean, you have one job ... how do you forget the rules? Where is the accountability?

“The officiating is ruining the greatest sport under God’s hot sun ... it’s not acceptable,” former Husker Adam Carriker said on his podcast the Carriker Chronicles. I agree.

What’s are solutions? Does the rule book need to be revamped? Should there be a nationwide college referee clinic, where attendees go rule by rule and work on streamlining the intent of each?

Maybe every play should be reviewable. Yes, that could potentially extend an already hours-long game. Perhaps by having the chance to review each snap, reffing crews will have an opportunity to learn from missed calls.

Perhaps referees should be fined when glaring mistakes are made. There has to be some level of accountability. Maybe it’s time for a national test to become a certified referee. And I’m not talking about an open book test.

I understand being a referee can be a thankless job. I know referees are human beings, making a split-second decision. (I’ve been a volleyball line judge. It can be brutal.)

And, I get that it’s just a football game. However, are we settling for mediocrity from a sport so many of us enjoy?

At least Big Ten Conference officials apologized for missed calls in Saturday’s game. It may be a baby step, but it’s a good first step to addressing the problem. Players, coaches and fans, alike, deserve consistency. This is a good start.