From: owen@ducvax.auburn.edu
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college
Subject: Re: Miss St 14, Auburn 7
Date: 12 Oct 92 14:38:02 GMT
Organization: Auburn University, AL

In article <1992Oct11.153351.1@ducvax.auburn.edu>, swanger@ducvax.auburn.edu writes:
> 
> While I'm at it, in the 2nd half, Auburn was called for defensive pass
> intereference.  The AU announcers (never known for their objectivity) swore
> it should have been offensive pass interference instead.  The play gave MS a
> big gain.  I didn't see the play, so I don't know.  How about it, those of
> you who saw the play, what do you think??  (be honest now...)
> 
It was a game Auburn should have one, but lost due to its own mistakes
(and a little help from the refs).  There were 3 pass interference calls
in the game, all when MSU had the ball, and all on long passes downfield.
On the first, which got MSU into position for one of its field goals,
the receiver ran a post pattern straight down the hash mark, and was well
covered by the Auburn defender, who was deeper and to the inside.  The
ball was thrown far to the inside of the hash mark, and was also overthrown
(too much to be catchable), and the AU defender just used his position to
keep himself between the ball and defender; no hands, or anything else.
The MSU receiver ran *through* the AU defender and despite the fact that
a) the receiver initiated the contact, b) the defender had his back to the
receiver, and c) the ball was badly overthrown, it was ruled defensive
pass interference.

The second call was the offensive call, which the replay showed to be
correct.  The MSU receiver just grabbed one of the 2 AU defenders with both
hands and threw him to the ground.  On the third call, which cost no points
but had something to do with the second half field position, the MSU receiver
pushed an AU defender away (and grabbed the defenders pants at the waist
when he started to fall); again, the replays clearly showed this to be
offensive interference, but it was ruled defensive.

Now lest this sound like sour grapes, let me say that Auburn should *still*
have one the game.  What beat them was not a couple of bad calls by the
officials, but the inability of the AU receivers to make easy catches.
AU tight end Fred Baxter, who is normally AU's best receiver, dropped no
less than 5 passes right in his hands, 3 of which would have been *huge*
gainers (he also made a couple of fairly impressive catches, though).
The biggest muff, though, was when AU had 3rd and 6 at their own 7.  Stan
White hit Orlando Parker, who had a couple of steps on both MSU defenders,
in mid-stride at the 50.  Beautiful pass, beautiful route, ball right
through the hands, which brought up 4th and 7, forcing a punt out of the
end zone.  Because of the tight kicking formation, AU was unable to get
anyone within 20 yards of the 55 yard punt, which was returned for a touchdown.
All in all, there were at least 8 passes dropped that should have been
caught.  The one that Parker dropped, though, probably cost Auburn the game.

Also, under the circumstances they had at quarterback, MSU played a *great*
game on both sides of the ball.  However, it was more AU's offense stopping
themselves than MSU's defense stopping them.  4 of the 5 turnovers were
unforced in the sense that no great defensive play caused them; just 3
really bad passes and a drop for a fumble.

AU's defense looked very good except for two areas.  Probably half of MSU's
total offense came from a couple of long quaterback scrambles and about 7
or 8 passes to the tight end off boot legs, a play which AU was unable to
stop until the 4th quarter.

Larry Owen
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college