Utah AD fined $40K for criticizing Big 12 officials

Pete Thamel, ESPNNov 10, 2024, 05:39 PM ET

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College Football Senior Citizen Author for ESPN. Insider for College Gameday.The Big 12 fined Utah athletic director Mark Harlan$40,000 and released a public reprimand in the wake of his disparaging remarks about officiating after Utah’s home loss to BYU late Saturday.Harlan stated the game was”absolutely stolen” from Utah and he was”

revolted by the professionalism” of the Huge 12 officiating team. Harlan took the podium in the interview space after the game specifically to resolve the officiating, a rare relocation for an AD.The Big 12 fine is thought about stiff, as the three athletic director fines of note in the previous years were all$25,000. Huge 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said in a statement that the comments

“irresponsibly challenged the professionalism of our officials and the stability of the Huge 12 Conference.”Yormark added:”There is a right method and a wrong method to voice issues. Unfortunately, Mark chose the incorrect way. Accordingly, this violation necessitates a public reprimand and punitive damages.”Editor’s Picks 2 Related In a statement Sunday night, Harlan acknowledged that there

are”better suited times and avenues

“to express issues over officiating, adding that he will accept the fine.”My remarks came after having simply left our team locker room where our student-athletes were hurting and upset,”he said in the statement. “The University of Utah is proud to be a member of the Big 12 Conference and we eagerly anticipate dealing with our peers to continue to enhance the league. BYU, Coach Sitake and their coaches and student-athletes are having a terrific season and we want them the absolute best.”The night’s most questionable call was a holding get in touch with Utah’s Zemaiah Vaughn, which featured 1:29 left and removed a fourth-down sack that would have ended the game. Rather, BYU utilized the charge as a springboard for a game-winning drive that was topped off by Will Ferrin’s 44-yard field goal. The win kept BYU( 9-0, 6-0 Huge 12)undefeated.Harlan likewise disagreed with the Big 12:” We were delighted about being in the Huge 12, however tonight I am not. We won this game.”He stated he ‘d speak to Yormark:” This was unfair to our group.”Harlan’s remarks magnified the attention on a season of aggravation for Utah (4-5 ). The Utes, in their very first year in the league because coming by from the Pac-12

, were selected first in the preseason Huge 12 poll. The loss dropped Utah to

1-5 in league play.Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig already stepped down for Utah in late October, and the program has begun 3 different quarterbacks in 9 games.There is some precedent to the penalty in the Big 12. In football, Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard was fined$ 25,000 and offered a public

reprimand for criticizing officiating in 2014. Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt was likewise fined$25,000 in 2019 for slamming football officials.

Last season, Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades also was fined $25,000 for slamming basketball authorities after coach Scott Drew was ejected from a game.Max Olson and Kyle Bonagura contributed to this story.