By now the Pac-12 is used to the general public criticizing its officiating crews. What the conference won’t stand for, though, is one of its players publicly chastising its zebras.
Following a Week 11 loss to Washington State in which there were several questionable calls that he believed went against his team, UCLA linebacker Deon Hollins, who felt he was held on a last-second touchdown pass that lifted Wazzu to a win, had some very pointed words directed at the officiating in the aftermath of the 31-27 decision.
“Beating the referees and beating the other team is rough sometimes,” Hollins said. “I’m never one to start blaming it on penalties, but there are so many times when they call ticky-tack things on us and not them. It is really hard to overcome that when you need a big play at the end of the game. …
“It’s really tough sometimes. We’re just looking on the film and there’s so many missed things. It was just appalling; I was appalled.”
Suffice to say, the blunt critique didn’t sit well with the league office, which issued an official public reprimand of Hollins for comments the conference labeled as “derogatory” in its release.
“All of our student-athletes must adhere to the Pac-12’s Standards of Conduct,” Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement. “Mr. Hollins remarks were a clear violation of the Pac-12 comprehensive restrictions on public comments on officiating and he is being appropriately reprimanded.”
In his statement in the same release, Hollins acknowledged that his “comments were inappropriate,” but he stopped short of specifically apologizing for them.
“There is a great deal of responsibility that comes with being a football student-athlete in the Pac-12 and at UCLA,” said Hollins. “Unfortunately, yesterday I spoke out of frustration and knew almost immediately afterwards that my comments were inappropriate. I expect more of myself and will not let this happen again.”
