A new era began Friday night, albeit not as high profile as the debuts of Kyle Whittingham and Brian Johnson.
Instant replay was used for the first time in Ute football history, and it came in handy for the home team. Two plays in Utah’s 27-24 win over Arizona were challenged, with both turning out in the U’s favor.
“I think it’s great,” Ute safety Eric Weddle said. “You don’t want to take the game out of the players’ hands and put it in the refs’.”
Like many conferences, the Mountain West has implemented replay for the first time this year. But it is the only conference to use the NFL-style “coach’s challenges,” with which each coach gets one challenge per half. If the outcome favors the challenging party, then that team gets to keep the challenge to use again later in the half. If the challenge is overruled, then the team loses a timeout.
In addition to the coach’s challenges, the main replay official (who sits in a designated press box room) has the authority to review any play he or she deems necessary.
The Utes wasted no time in trying out the new system. On the first drive of the game, U quarterback Brian Johnson was hit as he tried to escape the Wildcat pass rush. The ball came out of his hands and was ruled a fumble, giving Arizona the ball deep in Ute territory. The play was challenged-Ute coach Kyle Whittingham threw the challenge flag, but it had already been challenged by the replay official-and ruled an incomplete pass.
“That was huge that the first (challenge) stood,” Whittingham said. “That would’ve been a turnover, and then they’d get field position in the red zone.”
Soon after the replay went in the Utes’ favor, Wildcat coach Mike Stoops tried his hand at challenging. On the play in question, Johnson had found wideout Travis LaTendresse on third down for a completion deep in Arizona territory that gave the Utes enough yards for a first down. Stoops threw the red flag, arguing that Johnson had gone past the line of scrimmage before getting the pass off. The replay official was not convinced, and the first down stood.
After having two big challenges go the Utes’ way, Stoops was not overly complimentary of the new replay system.
“I’m not smart enough to understand all the rules,” Stoops said. ” I thought having (coach) control over it would be good, but I’ve got enough things to worry about (besides replay).”
The ‘Cats won’t have to worry about the MWC’s brand of replay anymore this season, since they don’t play any more games at Mountain West stadiums. But the Utes don’t have any qualms about making full use of the new system-they just want to see the right call made.
“If it’s a fumble and it’s really a fumble, you can’t get mad at it,” Weddle said. “It’s the truth, and I’m a guy where if it’s the (right call), then it’s fine. We’ll go out there and play.”
