Wyatt: Official's call costs B-CU

Photo: BC-U Head Coach Alvin Wyatt

By BRENT WORONOFF, Daytona Beach News-Journal

DAYTONA BEACH -- Bethune-Cookman football coach Alvin Wyatt claims an official's rule interpretation did more than move a slotback a few feet closer to the middle, it impaired the Wildcats' ability to run their offense at Norfolk State on Saturday.

Norfolk State, coached by former B-CU defensive coordinator Pete Adrian, rallied from a 21-10 halftime deficit to defeat the 'Cats 38-31. On the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's weekly media teleconference call Tuesday, Wyatt said based on a tip from Norfolk State coaches in the days leading up to the game, officials forced B-CU out of a perfectly legal formation in the second half.

The result, he said, was that B-CU was forced to abandon a base formation because the alteration tipped off the defense to the Wildcats' plays.

"The way they had us lining up, the defense definitely knew what we were going to do," Wyatt said. "It was the only thing that stopped us, because we were ripping them apart. It was wrong. It was dead wrong."

NSU Head Football Coach Pete Adrian

Wyatt said B-CU sent tapes of the game to the conference commissioner's office for an interpretation. MEAC commissioner Dennis Thomas said his office was awaiting the tape.

"Coach Wyatt apprised me of his concern," Thomas said Tuesday afternoon from the MEAC office in Virginia Beach, Va. "I asked him to send us a tape. Once we get the tape, we'll review it and see if there are legitimate concerns to his complaint."

The rule in question has to do with where a slotback must line up at the snap to be eligible to block below the waist. According to the NCAA's "Football Rules and Interpretations," the back must be lined up inside of the offensive tackle in front of him. Wyatt said after an illegal cut block was called against B-CU in the second quarter, officials told the Wildcats the player would have to move.

"I know what we were doing was legal. Everyone in football will tell you that," Wyatt said. "(The officials) put us in a suicidal position."

In fact, Adrian agreed the Wildcats never did anything illegal. He said it was a halftime adjustment by his team that neutralized the slotback's ability to cut block and not anything the officials did.

"They were in the same formation the entire game," Adrian said. "We simply moved our linebackers up, so they couldn't cut them."

Wyatt said he was upset an opposing head coach would go to officials during game week to complain about an opponent's formations.

"Our team was hurt. We were frustrated. It was wrong to be influenced like that," Wyatt said.

But Thomas and Adrian said it is common practice for coaches to talk to officials during the week.

"Coach Wyatt talks to officials. Other coaches talk to officials. I don't see how that's an issue," Thomas said.

Adrian said that it was actually another formation he inquired about during the week, one in which two split ends line up on the same side. He said the Wildcats also lined up correctly in that formation.

Adrian, who was Wyatt's defensive coordinator for seven seasons before he went to Norfolk State in 2005, said he was surprised Wyatt would use Tuesday's teleconference to complain about his tactics.

"He can do what he wants to do, he's a grown man," Adrian said. "I'm not losing any sleep over it, that's for sure."

Cut-Block Rule

Backs at the snap positioned with the frame of their body completely outside the frame of the body of the normal tackle (second player from the snapper) positioned in either direction toward a sideline, or in motion at the snap, are prohibted from blocking below the waist toward the original position of the ball in or behind the neutral zone and within 10 yards beyond the neutral zone. The frame of the body does not include arms or legs extended sideways.

Source: 2007 NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations on NCAA.org