Targeting back: SEC officials could be punished

via gifsection.com

One of the first things I noticed on the Ramik Wilson flag for targeting was where the flag actually came from. After Ray Drew was thrown out by an official that had the flag in his hand before the pass was even thrown, I guess I became acutely aware of the periphery to the play on the field. Much of you probably saw the same thing.

For it was not the umpire standing directly in front of the play that flagged Wilson's textbook hit on Vanderbilt receiver Jonathan Krause. It was the field judge from across the field in front of the Commodore sideline that threw it.

I wonder if that is something going through SEC coordinator of circuses Steve Shaw's head this week as he has gotten an earful from Coach Richt and AD McGarity. It looks like some form of discipline for the crew could be on the table. Including but not limited to the replay official in the booth that upheld Drew's prompt dismissal.

The call on Georgia defensive end Ray Drew was made by referee Matt Moore. As Richt said on Sunday, that hit “by the letter of the law” probably met the criteria of a “targeting” foul. However, everybody – including the NFL’s head of officials, who tweeted as much – believes Drew should not have been ejected from the game. If anybody faces discipline as a result of that ruling, it would likely be the replay official, Mike McGinnis, who upheld the disqualification despite video evidence to the contrary.

But what discipline, if any, transpired as a result of all these reviews is and will remain unknown. The only way to know if anybody was suspended or dismissed as a result of this past weekend’s actions will be to determine whether any of the officials on a crew this coming weekend.

The final result -- a 31-27 Vanderbilt victory -- will of course remain forever unchanged.

Ugh.