Duke coach David Cutcliffe: NCAA should allow results to be overturned
Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said Sunday the NCAA should “have a process in place” to overturn results after poor officiating, reports Dan Wolken of USA Today.
Cutcliffe called NCAA officials after the Blue Devils’ 30–27 loss to Miami to inquire about protesting or overturning the result of the game. Duke lost after Miami scored a 75-yard kick return touchdown that featured eight laterals.
“What instant replay is in place for is to get it right,” Cutcliffe said. “And we did not get it right.”
Cutcliffe’s inquiry was not successful, but the coach suggested the importance of having a process that could overturn results from inaccurate calls.
“If we’re going to have technology, if we want to get it right, let’s get it right. Otherwise let’s not have replay,” Cutcliffe said. “I’ve been on the football issues committee and had a multitude of coaches reach out to me since the ballgame was over with that it’s just hard to understand from a coaching perspective. I would think this will create that conversation and hopefully this doesn’t happen to another set of young men.”
The ACC announced Sunday that the referee crew from Saturday’s Miami vs. Duke game was suspended for two games for mishandling the final play. The ACC said the referees made four errors during the return, including that referees did not correctly rule one Miami player down before making a lateral, which would have ended the game.
Duke is now 6–3 and sits third in the ACC Coastal division.
The Blue Devils play a road game against North Carolina on Saturday.
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