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Clemson HC Dabo Swinney Rips Officiating After Win vs. Pitt

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Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney made sure to reiterate after the Tigers beat Pitt, 24-20, that he’s never been a part of anything like a fourth down personal foul called against linebacker Dee Crayton.

Swinney was critical of the officiating crew in his postgame press conference Saturday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium for a few reasons.

“I’ve never been a part of what we were a part of tonight,” Swinney said. “Never been a part of it. And listen, I’m not saying — I mean, they missed the call. It was a hands-to-the-face, but you can’t review hands-to-the-face. And if a guy is not hurt, I think the ball is probably snapped. I’ve never been a part of that, I can’t wait to have a conversation on that one for sure.

“And then I don’t know what targeting is anymore. I really don’t. I don’t know what — there was a targeting in the Cal-Miami game earlier this year that — I don’t know what targeting is anymore. I really don’t. I’ve coached football, I’ve been doing this for a long time, I don’t know what it is. It changes every week. So, some tough, tough breaks on both sides. There were some tough calls for them and tough calls for us.”

Crayton smacked/elbowed/hit Nate Yarnell in the facemask hard, knocking Yarnell back and into Lyndon Cooper, who left the game with an injury.

The officials initially didn’t throw a flag, but after a long discussion, the officiating crew announced a personal foul. It turned a potential third-and-12 into an automatic first down on a fourth quarter drive that ended with a go-ahead Ben Sauls field goal.

“Guy comes from the end zone and all the sudden drops a flag,” Swinney said. “And then they tried to explain to me that I know it feels awkward, but this is the right thing and we were discussing it. So, all you can do is just say, ‘Well, okay, let’s move on,’ and that’s what we did, but I’ve never been a part of that. Ever. Ever.”

The targeting call came in the second quarter after linebacker Sammy Brown drilled Yarnell in the chest with the crown of his helmet. By the letter of the law, it’s a targeting call. But Swinney continued to express his disbelief.

“I’m gonna have to go to a seminar in the offseason or something, Targeting Anonymous or something,” Swinney said.

Pitt was called for 13 penalties for 100 yards, and Clemson was called for six penalties for 57 yards.

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
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kevin
kevin
23 days ago

DABO: WELCOME TO A TYPICAL PITT GAME!!!

If you think yesterday’s game was bad, watch Pitt’s last game! The officiating is alway terrible and usually not in Pitt’s favor.

Watching college football I’ve noticed the “blue blood teams” typically get away with much more, ie: holding, targeting, PI, etc.
H2P!!!

srs28704
srs28704
22 days ago
Reply to  kevin

OK fair-weather fan, dial up the Same Old Pitt script. They Win UVA and this one in close fashion Narduzzi is still Broyles candidate. Please pick a side of the fence or just change the position switch on the SpaceBalls vacuum of earth’s atmosphere to describe him all the time.

Larry
Larry
22 days ago

What I know for sure is we have seen the best Narduzzi can give us and it is not good enough

Andy
Andy
22 days ago
Reply to  Larry

Wait, isn’t he the same guy that won an ACC Championship?

Giovanni
Giovanni
22 days ago
Reply to  Andy

Credits earned for past achievement expire at some point. I think we’re getting close to that point. Duzz is an excellent defensive coach but has proven to struggle with building a reliable offense over the vast majority of his years at Pitt. Then there is the consistent lack of discipline. It’s inexcusable for the continuous brain-fart penalties that occur game-after-game. The “It’s on me…” line only earns forgiveness if progress is made in fixing this back-breaking issue. Then there are the perpetual dropped balls by the receivers…

srs28704
srs28704
22 days ago
Reply to  Giovanni

Look up SportsReference.com HC Wins for PITT, he is .575 just like everyone else less Jackie Sherrill (who had some unique Recruiting capabilites, wink-wink).

srs28704
srs28704
22 days ago
Reply to  srs28704

https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/pittsburgh/coaches.html

Don’t bring up Jock Sutherland, Pop Warner and our 8 NC of 9. Only 1 is modern FB and they re-wrote the recruiting rules after Johnny Majors gave out 250 Scholarships a Year in 73′ to find out who wanted to play FB like the Bear Bryant TAMU “those who’ll stay will win a Championship” The Junction Boys dramatization movie. That’s how he discoverd T.Dorsett doing so.

srs28704
srs28704
22 days ago
Reply to  srs28704

And J.Sherrill, wink-wink, recruiting tactics is why JoePa supposedly did not take the Jets NFL job.

Last edited 22 days ago by srs28704
Agent Zero
Agent Zero
22 days ago

Is what it is Dabo…You won.Pitt pitted the game away again just like us sad sorrowful fans have come to expect.Did anyone really think that Clemson wasnt going to go down and score a winning TD???I sure as hell knew they were..But as the story continues.Pitt had 13 more penalties for 100 more yards..I dont think looking at the ipad is working..

Joe
Joe
22 days ago

There’s an old expression: For every finger you point out there’s three pointing back. PITT had a 3rd and goal at the two. THREE succesive penalties force a field goal. Nullifying a run by Bartholmew that would’e puulled PITT to within 3.In the last 1:16 PITT would’ve be driving for a FG, not a touchdown. Penalities, dropped passes,only one pass in the middle after it was clearded out. For all Pitt did wrong they almost won. It’s all in the preparation. You play like you practice. Maybe PITT should get referees for their practices?

David Jones
David Jones
22 days ago

What about the roughing the passer on Pitt?

Giovanni
Giovanni
22 days ago
Reply to  David Jones

Horrible call. The ref’s are really trying to make the games unwatchable. Accountability applies to them also but I can’t recall the last time a college ref got fired for incompetence. Reeks of a corrupt ‘good ole boy’ system.

katuracassells@gmail.com
katuracassells@gmail.com
22 days ago

They finally got the call correct, but I understand Dabo’s complaint. They threw the flag like an after thought. H2P.

srs28704
srs28704
22 days ago

Rodney Hammond Jr. in the Wildcat had some utility a couple of Years ago with he and Israel in the back-field. Someone email our OC and let him know your FS played QB in high-school in the Option playbook (Cruce Brookins). Cruce in Wildcat for L’Ville and BC, let’s go #h2p

Pittband
Pittband
22 days ago

Was in a North Carolina Costco’s this weekend, UVA fans were laughing about their Pitt win, i.e. the ACC blue bloods getting the calls. It is sickening.

Rooster
Rooster
21 days ago

Cry, cry Darlin’. You won the game Dabo. The call should have been made. Didn’t you ever see officials huddle to determine if intentional grounding should be called ?

Last edited 21 days ago by Rooster
Tim
Tim
21 days ago

Never been a Sweeney fan.

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