PJ Fleck gives his take on the Cooper DeJean fair catch incident back in 2023
- Thread starter Franisdaman
- Start date
didn't watch but it's pretty easy to guess his angle on it...
Yeah I doubt his opinion has changed. But I'll say it just like i did when it happened. Even if you think whatever penalty they called it to negate the TD was right. The replay booth didn't have the authority to look at that.
I wish there was a "f-ing a" emoji.
Despite the blatant error, Iowa could/should have won the game. Only needed about 15-20 yards to get in makeable FG range with PLENTY of time to do it. Naturally the non-existent offense failed to move the ball. Fans tend to forget that part.
You are absolutely right. But it still doesn't negate the fact that (1) it wasn't a fair catch signal, and nobody on the field thought it was--not Minnesota's players, not the game officials and (2) replay has no right to "reofficiate" the game; replay is only supposed to review what they are asked to review. In this case, it was wether DeJean was out of bounds. Otherwise, the booth could be calling holding or anything else that they see in the review that was missed on the field. It would be ridiculous . . . which is what that call was. And it always will be, no matter what PJ or anyone else says. The facts are the facts.
Yeah well Minnesota should've let our offense move down the field to make up for the terrible call.
Yeah well P.J. Fleck can still go f*** himself.
No kidding. Iowa had no business winning that game. You're not supposed to win football games scoring 10 points in this era of college football. In the second half that vaunted Iowa offense managed zero points on 2 yards of total offense with 2 turnovers. It was the most pathetic display of offensive football I have ever seen. In retrospect that play and that game were a godsend because it pushed the administration to finally rid the program of the worst OC in FBS football. Thank God that call was made. It saved Iowa football. Refs ought to get a medal or something.
It's the only way that joke of an offense was going to score.
I have never understood why they didnt just direct snap it to him 3 times. He already beat their 11 once. Give him 3 shots to get 20 yards.
I'll take the good call (no booth intervention) and the W. Brian would have been gone anyway.
Now I'm thinking about this. You would need a Cooper DeJean or Tim Dwight-type of player to make it work. Those guys don't exactly grow on trees. BUT when you have a player like that, why not?
Punt return is a bit different than a run from scrimmage.
Nope. It wasn't a coincidence that the decision to remove Brian came about the week following this game.
so long snap it to an up back and have him pitch back to Coop.
he is still the only dude that gained yards against their 11.
An "Invalid Fair Catch Signal" can only be invalid fair catch signal if calling for a fair catch.. I mean, if the returner is NOT calling for a fair catch, there certainly can't be an invalid fair catch signal right? players wave their arms on ever punt that hits the ground to alert their teammates,,, I can't believe I am responding to this issue almost 2 years after nit happened...
Very true, but it is fun to think about this as a strategy. No worse that your QB throwing a probable incompletion or RB carrying into a stacked box.
I think I'd rather hang myself than listen to his thoughts on it. It's his favorite play, because it directly led him to his first victory against Iowa. Then the following year we proceeded to spank him.
Yep, but that would require a coach willing to do something unique. Not the KFz m.o.
BTW, wouldn't the RB carrying into a stacked box, be DeJean?
Yeah. What really makes it bad is that's not why the review was done. It was to confirm he didn't step out. How do you make a completely different call after the fact? Especially when the intent of that rule is how players ON THE FIELD see it, not how it looks from up above in the booth.
Yes, but if he takes the snap directly at punter depth, he can look over the defense before the snap. Send a couple of tall receivers (TEs?) 20 or 30 yards deep to draw a few defenders back. As I said, you need a special, very talented player to make it work.
You can't. They had NO authority to "reofficiate" the play and look for something that was not called on the field.
and practicing that play. A moderately competent QB would have been enough. Alas...
Fleck is full of BS. He knows it. Watch the whole video if you wish, but in particular, watch at :51 and 1:23. Fleck clearly thought he had just lost another game to the Hawks. He was bailed out by some geek in some remote cubicle who over-interpreted what little power he thought he had and overruled the on-field officials who had no idea (like Fleck) what had just happened. But in the end, this miscarriage probably elevated Cooper's legendary status in the eyes of every Hawkeye fan, and many others elsewhere.
I would the over for yards gained with Coop running a broken play 3 times over Deacon Hill running a practiced play 9 times.
I'm ready for Iowa fans to stop talking about this game
Agreed it makes us look dumb and like Huskers fans.
Incorrect. Of course they have that authority.
If Fleck it was a fair catch call, why didn't he run and jump around like he does, IMMEDIATELY, instead of only when he found out what was being reviewed and called?
we're sorry. We won't talk it about it anymore in a thread you have to click on to hear about again.
hawkeyes have benefited from many calls that have allowed them to win games they should have lost. This one went against you, get over it.
PJ Fleck: the only Division I/FBS coach to take a 4-win team to a bowl game.
Was watching North Carolina play that night and they had similar situation happen twice. Returner was pointing and waving his arms around on punts that rolled. Picked it up both times gaining like 10 yards on one and 20 or so on the other.
This is the part I never understood. I always thought they could only look at certain things like stepping out of bounds. If a fair catch signal was made then why didn't the referee on the field make that call? I was there and it sucked to go from euphoria to gut punch. I know it's only sports but it really sucked! (I know I'm preaching to the choir)
Related to other posts, I think BF would have been gone even if we had won this game. His offensive stats would not have been any better.
If I'm Minny, then is this seriously the only way you can beat Iowa??
It was F'ed up. Like having a replay official call holding on a play where a RB breaks for a TD.