Shane Beamer details explanation from SEC officials after negated fake punt
By David Wasson
Published:
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer has questions for the Southeastern Conference after his team was penalized during a fake punt attempt against No. 11 LSU in the third quarter Saturday night.
On 4th-and-5 at the South Carolina 40-yard line trailing 17-10, Mason Love faked a punt and threw a pass to tight end Mo Brown. But the officials waved off the successful fake, calling an illegal procedure penalty on Love. Beamer was irate as the Gamecocks were backed up 5 yards, and Love ultimately punted on the next play.
After the game, Beamer was asked about the explanation he received from on-field officials.
“I was told that they were holding it and it wasn’t ready to snap,” Beamer said after the game, which resulted in a 20-10 LSU victory. “But in 26 years of coaching, normally, the center judge normally stands over the ball. There was no one standing over the ball. The referee had his hands out and then he backed out of there.
“I don’t know how the punter, the personal protector who is making the call and the snapper are supposed to know ‘don’t snap it’ when the referee is standing behind the punter. Someone’s gotta explain that to me, because I have no idea.”
South Carolina will host Oklahoma in Week 8.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
