South Carolina coach Shane Beamer didn’t mince words about the Big Ten officiating crew over an incident in the second quarter of Friday’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, at TIAA Bank Field.
After Notre Dame cut the Gamecocks’ lead to 24-17, South Carolina forced a punt from the Notre Dame 4 with 1:08 left in the half. Jon Sot got off a good kick of 53 yards but Ahmarean Brown returned it 7 yards to midfield.
Not so fast: Dakereon Joyner of South Carolina was hit with an illegal blindside block penalty and the Gamecocks were marched 15 yards back to their own 35. And in arguing the call, Beamer was hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and USC had to start at the 20.
Quarterback Spencer Rattler was able to move the team to midfield in the closing seconds but was intercepted by Benjamin Morrison on the final play of the half.
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Beamer said Joyner was simply playing was he had been coached: fake a catch to draw Notre Dame’s runner off that side of the field. In the ensuing contact, the officials said Joyner committed the penalty.
‘If DK wanted to blow the guy up he would have blown the guy up,’ Beamer said. ‘He’s doing what we teach. I was told it was a blindside block. Maybe it was. I don’t know.’
Beamer admitted ‘I have to do better’ in avoiding the second penalty. But he also said, ‘I don’t believe I deserved to get a flag,’ Beamer said.
‘Sometimes the officials want to make the game about them,’ he said.