News Flash: SEC suspends officials
The SEC has suspended the officiating crew that worked the Arkansas at Florida game Oct. 17, the league announced.
The crew will be removed from its next scheduled assignment, which was on Oct. 31, and will return Nov. 14.
“A series of calls that have occurred during the last several weeks have not been to the standard that we expect from our officiating crews,” SEC commissioner Mike Slive said. “I believe our officiating program is the best in the country, however, there are times when these actions must be taken.”
Florida won the game 23-20 on a last-second field goal to remain unbeaten. The Gators also were No. 1 in the first BCS standings.
“While only a few calls have been identified, the entire crew shoulders responsibility for each play,” Slive said. “I have taken this action because there must be accountability in our officiating program. Our institutions expect the highest level of officiating in all of our sports and it is the duty of the conference office to uphold that expectation.”
Zook under fire
As Illinois continues to founder, the future of coach Ron Zook appears murkier and murkier.
The Fighting Illini are off to a 1-5 start, with the lone victory coming against FCS member Illinois State. Last week may have been rock bottom, as Illinois lost at Indiana 27-14. If the Illini don’t win at Purdue this Saturday, they may not win again this season.
Zook, in his fifth season in Champaign, guided Illinois to the Rose Bowl in the 2007 season. But the Illini slumped to 5-7 last season, and Zook is 19-35 overall and 10-26 in the Big Ten.
Zook received a one-year, $1.5 million extension in July that pushed his contract to January 2014.
Should a change be made at Illinois, look for the school to look for a younger coach with a Big Ten background. Houston coach Kevin Sumlin and Oklahoma co-offensive coordinator Jay Norvell could be among the targets.
Sumlin is one of the nation’s hottest coaches. He’s in his second season at Houston and has the Cougars off to a 5-1 start with wins over Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Mississippi State. In his first season, Sumlin guided Houston to an 8-5 record and a win in the Armed Forces Bowl. Sumlin, 45, is a former linebacker at Purdue (1983-86) who also has been an assistant at Minnesota (1993-97) and Purdue (1998-2000).
Norvell played defensive back at Iowa (1981-85) and has been an assistant at Wisconsin (1989-94). Norvell also has been an assistant in the NFL with the Raiders and Colts.
Stull’s improvement boosts Pitt
A case can be made that Pittsburgh’s Bill Stull is the most improved quarterback in the nation. And that’s why Pitt is one of the nation’s surprise teams.
Last season, Stull threw for 2,356 yards, with nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Pitt finished 9-4 overall and 5-2 in league play in spite of Stull’s uneven play. A 3-0 loss to Oregon State in the Sun Bowl summed up the plight of Pitt’s offense.
In the offseason, offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh left to coach quarterbacks with the New York Jets and Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt tabbed Frank Cignetti to take over. Cignetti’s arrival has made a difference.
Stull, a senior, is the top-rated passer in the Big East; he is 114-of-171 for 1,409 yards, with 14 touchdowns and three interceptions, and Pitt is 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the Big East going into Saturday’s game with South Florida.
“Billy has done a good job buying into what we are teaching,” Cignetti said. “He is trusting what he sees – trusting the protection, trusting his receivers to be where they are supposed to be, trusting what he sees. Matt did a good job with him before I got here.
“He also has some good playmakers around him in [running back] Dion Lewis, [wide receiver] Jonathan Baldwin and [tight end] Dorin Dickerson.”
Lewis is the top freshman running back in the nation, leading the Big East and ranking third in the nation in rushing at 131.1 yards per game. He also has nine rushing touchdowns, filling the void created when LeSean McCoy left early for the NFL after last season.
“[Lewis is] a good kid who works hard and sets a strong example,” said Cignetti, who orchestrates an offense averaging 387 yards and 33.3 points.
The stretch run will define the season, as the schedule is back-loaded. A win Saturday over USF would make Pitt 7-1 for the first time since 1982. Then, after a visit from Syracuse, the Panthers close with three huge games: Notre Dame, at West Virginia and Cincinnati.
