The NFL announced Thursday that it is forming a closer officiating relationship with select college conferences to improve "the officiating pipeline." The goal is to share NFL mechanics, technology and resources with college partners, expand recruiting opportunities, provide more opportunities for women and minorities and strengthen officials' training. The Big Ten, Conference
Tag: College Football
New Year’s Eve throwback: Future NFL officials working college bowl games
Coaches’ behavior in the NCAA is becoming unacceptable. Again.
Commentary by Mark Schultz The NCAA coach–official relationship reached a critical stage in 2016 as many college coaches regularly stomped onto the field, wildly gestured, cussed, threw things and physically intimidated the officials. The officials were taught to kill the coaches with kindness, but many coaches plowed ahead and tried to bend
Big turnover with Big 12 referees
The Big 12 Conference features exciting, up-tempo college football with teams in the national championship hunt almost every season. The conference needs good officials -- especially good referees. Greg Burks, supervisor of officials, had a big challenge this offseason. He had to replace four referees. Cooper Castleberry (19 years), Mike Defee (14
Gene Steratore to cover SEC football with CBS Sports
Former NFL referee Gene Steratore will have more TV time this fall. CBS Sports announced today that Steratore will be available to talk college football officiating during the network's SEC on CBS broadcasts. Steratore was a NFL field judge and referee for 15 years. He retired after working Super Bowl LII to
SEC referee Matt Austin leaves the field for the TV studio
According to a news release, long-time Southeastern Conference referee Matt Austin has retired from active officiating and will join ESPN and the SEC Network as an officiating expert. This is a newly created role by ESPN and the SEC. Austin will contribute to weekly games and studio shows from the SEC
More Pac-12 officiating controversy: 3 retired officials blast officiating leadership
Three recently retired Pac-12 Conference officials, who have on field and instant replay experience, made public a letter excoriating the Pac-12 overall and their officiating leadership. Officials Fred Gallagher, Mack Gilchrist, and Chuck Czubin wrote the letter to commissioner Larry Scott, and director of officiating David Coleman. The three officials retired
Pass interference no-call mars end of Pac-12 championship game
Zebras out of uniform
This past weekend, NCAA referee Mike Defee and his crew worked in miserable conditions as The Air Force Academy hosted San Diego State (photo of crew in the downpour). Lightning halted the game for 88-minutes, then resumed with a near empty stadium. Defee's crew started in their regular uniform. But after
NCAA referee with the announcement of the year
Big 10 referee and Officiating Development Program official Don Willard made a mistake Saturday. He faced the wrong way when announcing a foul. It can happen. It has happened to the best, many times. But, the way he handled himself with a live microphone places him into nomination for referee announcement of