News Flash: WAC suspends replay official

The WAC has announced the suspension of football replay official Michael Goshima on Thursday.

In last Saturday’s San Jose State-Boise State game, Goshima confirmed an on-field ruling that a runner was short of a first down. On the play, San Jose State quarterback Jordan La Secla completed a third-and-10 pass to Josh Harrison. On-field officials said it was a 9-yard gain, which was incorrectly confirmed in the replay booth. The Spartans subsequently punted and Boise State went on to score 14 points before the end of the first half to build a 24-7 halftime lead en route to a 45-7 victory.

Further review showed that the runner had made the first down and the call should have been reversed.

Goshima received a one-game suspension that will take place this weekend.

“The WAC expects the same type of performance from our instant replays officials as we do from the on-field officials,” WAC commissioner Karl Benson said. “And while errors are going to occur – both on the field and in the replay booth – when they do, there must be accountability. Instant replay is used to ‘get it right’ on the field and in this case the official had a chance to reverse a call at a very critical time in the game and did not. Thus, he will be suspended for his next assignment.”

Big 12 schedule switch?

The Big 12 is considering altering its league scheduling format when the conference athletic directors meet in the spring.

The conference has two six-team divisions, North and South. Under the current set up, schools play three teams from the opposite division for a two-year period, flipping home and road venues each season. After a two-year cycle, the schools switch and play the other three schools from the division for a two-year period.

A proposed new format would ensure that schools never go more than one year without playing a team from the other division. The Big 12 already has schedules set through 2014, so any alterations likely wouldn’t take place until 2015.

Illness has Parker in press box

Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker has been battling complications related to diabetes but still has been enjoying one of his best seasons.

Parker recently has had to deal with complications from a foot infection, which forced him to work from the press box during last week’s dramatic, come-from-behind win over Indiana.

Parker, 68, had a toe amputated due to infection back in July. He had another toe amputated in 2004, which also was the last time Parker worked upstairs. Parker likely will be back in the press box for Saturday’s game against Northwestern.

“We are trying to take care of Norm,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “He’s doing well, but we will take some precautions. He will continue to coach from the press box the rest of the year.”

The Hawkeyes’ defense ranks No. 3 in the Big Ten (297.6 ypg) and is a major reason why Iowa is 9-0 with a shot to win the conference and perhaps play for the national championship.

Nutt on Ole Miss song flap

Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt is doing his part to end a tradition at the school that has created a flap.

The band plays a song called “From Dixie With Love.” And the last phrase of the song states “The South will rise again.”

Earlier this season, Ole Miss chancellor Dan Jones asked the school band to not play the song. He says the words are harmful because they have been used by those who oppose integration.

“I’m going on my second year to live in Oxford, Miss., and this is one of the greatest communities there is,” Nutt told RebelSports.net. “It’s one of the greatest schools in the country. I haven’t seen one race problem. I go to stores, when I take my family to Wal-Mart or Chick-fil-A or wherever, I see a lot of harmony. I really think it’s ridiculous.

“I love the song. I agree with the chancellor. We don’t want the words or people saying the words at the end of the song. We don’t want that. We want the band to play that beautiful song the way they play it and leave it at that, but as far as people making something of it, it’s just ridiculous. Because it’s not true.”

In October, the Ole Miss student government passed a resolution to change the phrase at the end of the song to “to hell with LSU.” The faculty senate later voted in support of the change.