Is the pick play being flagged more?

russtang

All-American
Apr 11, 2007
3,202
537
137
Central Alabama
www.uniquetitanium.com
The second week of the season I counted 8 teams that I had watched that ran pick plays with no flags thrown. There are definitely more teams running the "clemson" pick play.

While flicking through some games during halftime of games I was watching, I saw highlights of the Utah vs BYU game I think it was, where BOTH teams ran the clemson pick play within the 5 yard line and BOTH were flagged for it. It was a game Tuberville called.

Other than that, I have seen zero flags called for at least 30 obvious pick plays that I have seen.
 

CrimsonProf

Hall of Fame
Dec 30, 2006
5,716
69
67
Birmingham, Alabama
Defenses aren't given any options to defend it. That's the problem I have with it. At the college level DB's aren't given the same freedom of contact as on the pro level. Pro CB's can immediately jam and it takes a lot more for a flag to be thrown compared to the college level. So basically the defense (on these type plays) is "defenseless". And you see teams such as Clemson and others go back to these plays in critical times over and over and over. Because they know they are unstoppable.
Exactly right, and with the way the Clemson WR engaged Hump last year - the only way MH could have "defended" the play would have certainly drawn a flag.
 

B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
45,499
46,842
187
Exactly right, and with the way the Clemson WR engaged Hump last year - the only way MH could have "defended" the play would have certainly drawn a flag.
We do not know if it would have drawn a flag. We will never know. But if it had, they would have been forced to decide between a FG to tie and a potential TD on the last play of the game. In other words, even if you are flagged, you don't lose on that play. You still have a chance.

In an interview Saban said that they actually considered flagrant PI fouls to force the same decision.
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
84,527
39,617
437
Huntsville, AL,USA
We do not know if it would have drawn a flag. We will never know. But if it had, they would have been forced to decide between a FG to tie and a potential TD on the last play of the game. In other words, even if you are flagged, you don't lose on that play. You still have a chance.

In an interview Saban said that they actually considered flagrant PI fouls to force the same decision.
It'll be PI either way...
 

RTR91

Super Moderator
Nov 23, 2007
39,407
6
0
Prattville
Andy Britton, a SEC official, was on the Montgomery sports radio show last month. When asked about offensive PI, he said he could not comment on particular plays but would say the onus is on the offensive player to avoid making contact.

Any question who made the contact, particularly on the second one?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

tusks_n_raider

Hall of Fame
May 13, 2009
12,130
12,207
187
Mobile, AL
In fact, the Clemon WR basically entrapped MH by diving right into his gut, which gave the appearance of Marlon holding him.

So shady I have to admire it.
I don't like pick plays period. But Clemson has somehow figured out how to run them just to where they are blatant enough to be illegal but not so outright egregious the refs will throw a flag. They are definitely shady/sneaky about it.

It's kind of similar to how most of the time teams get away with Offensive holding so long as they don't straight up tackle the defender.....though I've seen that not get called either.
 

JDCrimson

Hall of Fame
Feb 12, 2006
5,346
4,417
187
51
I think the best solution is to experiment with taking the approach we were taught in basketball which is to fight through the pick. In basketball, it forced the ref to make a call either for illegal or defensive push. Our always said it was a gamble but you had to know the ref was going to call the game before you knew how to play the game. He also always told us to make the ref do his job which is to say play aggressive.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
 

PitMaster

Suspended
Aug 24, 2015
2,281
1
0
I think the best solution is to experiment with taking the approach we were taught in basketball which is to fight through the pick. In basketball, it forced the ref to make a call either for illegal or defensive push. Our always said it was a gamble but you had to know the ref was going to call the game before you knew how to play the game. He also always told us to make the ref do his job which is to say play aggressive.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
But in football now, receivers ate not only being allowed to pick, they are setting MOVING picks. All the more difficult for the defense.
 

BamaFlum

Hall of Fame
Dec 11, 2002
7,176
1,609
287
53
S.A., TX, USA
But in football now, receivers ate not only being allowed to pick, they are setting MOVING picks. All the more difficult for the defense.
It may come to a DB fighting thru a pick and throwing him down to get around him before we see the refs do something. I've bball games that start that rough until the ref starts calling moving screens or holds on the defense.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Wilson Monroe

1st Team
Jul 19, 2016
517
0
0
"I was so surprised to see him coming my direction that my instinct was to put my finger into his eye! I know I have done that the last four times that a pick was run and it wasn't called, but that just backs up my claim of eye gouging being instinctual."
 

RTR91

Super Moderator
Nov 23, 2007
39,407
6
0
Prattville

SEC director of officials Steve Shaw on LSU-Mississippi State offensive PI, sideline infractions


Shaw was asked, a couple of times, about offensive pass interference, specifically about one that wiped out a 67-yard score from Danny Etling to DJ Chark in a route by Mississippi State.

"Anytime you have offensive pass interference, it's a very tough judgement call," said Shaw, who didn't want to talk about specific plays. "The rule itself states if it is the responsibility of the offensive player to avoid opponents.

"We always look at it like the receiver knows where he is going. He knows his route. The defender doesn't know where he is going.

"Typically, what our guys look at is if you see a receiver go directly at a defender and initiate or create contact with him, then technically that's what gets the alert of the official. Coaches have plays called rubs of whatever, how the player kind of finesses that, if they are initiating or seeking out the defender and creating contact. By rule, that's a foul."
The Big 12 officials must read an old rule book.
 

Bamabuzzard

FB Moderator
Staff member
Aug 15, 2004
30,558
18,310
237
48
Where ever there's BBQ, Bourbon & Football
I hope the pick play is called in this next game against Clemson or it will be a long night.
I've watched Clemson a handful of times this season and they run it all game long and I've yet to see it call on them one time. When they get in third and less than ten yards but more than three to go. They're running it. It's their go to play in those situations.
 

Latest threads

TideFans.shop : 2024 Madness!

TideFans.shop - Get YOUR Bama Gear HERE!”></a>
<br />

<!--/ END TideFans.shop & item link \-->
<p style= Purchases made through our TideFans.shop and Amazon.com links may result in a commission being paid to TideFans.