Sports

Notre Dame - Florida State Controversial Call Has Irish Coach Brian Kelly Frustrated Over a Lack of Clarity

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Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly still does not see where the penalty was in the final play that cost his team a win and only sees a blown coverage.

According to ESPN, Kelly said during his weekly teleconference on Sunday that he wound up somehow more confused after the fact than he was at the time. The offensive pass interference penalty erased a game-winning touchdown pass.

Down 31-27 to Florida State with 17 seconds remaining in the game, Notre Dame quarterback found his wideout Corey Robinson wide open for a two-yard touchdown pass. The official play-by-play lists the penalty being pinned on C.J. Prosise, but Kelly told reporters he later learned Will Fuller was actually the one whistled.

"Actually I have less clarity," the Fighting Irish coach said. "I guess it was actually called on Will Fuller, not C.J. (Prosise). So [it] just adds more uncertainty as to the final play.

"But again, the play itself, in terms of what we ask our kids to do, it was pretty clear what happened on the play: Florida State blew the coverage and they got rewarded for it. It's unfortunate."

Kelly said what aggravated him further was that he did not think Fuller could have done his assignment differently.

"No, I think he's working back inside and he did not go out of his way to impede the defender," Kelly said. "The official that was furthest from the play that had the ability to see it, saw it differently. That's the way it goes."

In a video posted to their website, the ACC's coordinator of football officials, Doug Rhoads, explained the referees' call.

"Offensive players, on passing plays, are restricted from going downfield and blocking anytime from the snap. If the ball is first touched behind the line of scrimmage, then that would be legal, and it's OK, but if the ball is touched beyond the line, then it's offensive pass interference," he said. "Officials always have to exercise great judgment in calling a foul, and offensive pass interference, or pick plays, as they're sometimes referred to, are no different than other difficult judgments. The key element is that the official must assess on the play if there is sufficient restriction for it to be a foul, and he has to differentiate between incidental contact and significant contact, or significant restriction, before he calls that foul."

Florida State remained unbeaten with the win and their remaining schedule appears weak enough to pencil the reining champs in for the inaugural four-team College Football Playoff. On the other hand, Notre Dame may have to fight their way back, as they have road games against Arizona State and USC.

Kelly said he plans to speak with ACC officials regarding the call, but he does not have high hopes for what might come out of it.

Said the coach, "We'll have our conversations with the supervisor of officials for the ACC here a little bit later this afternoon and I'm sure we'll get even less clarification."

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