Updated: SEC plans no action on official
I’m sure most of you have seen the replay by now of college football’s “hit of the week” (above) — umpire Wilbur Hackett Jr.’s assist on the tackle of South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia in the second quarter of LSU’s 24-17 win in Columbia.
And if it appears Hackett displayed pretty good tackling form on the play, well, that should not come as too much of a surprise: Hackett knows a thing or two about tackling SEC quarterbacks.
After all, Hackett was a Parade All-American from Louisville who went on to start three years at linebacker for Kentucky in the late-1960s. Hackett was among the first black players in the SEC and is credited with being the first black to co-captain an SEC team.
College football bloggers are having a lot of fun with Hackett’s hit, which slowed Garcia around the LSU 5-yard line and allowed Tigers safety Curtis Jackson to finish the tackle. I had one blogger send me an email asking whether the SEC planned to reprimand Hackett.
On the replays, Hackett appears to lower his right shoulder and throw his forearm into Garcia. But I think he was just trying to brace himself after Garcia cut back and collided with him. Steve Spurrier did not fault Hackett, saying he thought the official was trying to get out of the way.
Of course, there have been more of a hue and cry from USC fans had the Gamecocks not scored three plays later on Mike Davis’ 1-yard touchdown run. Hackett enters the frame on the replay of Davis’ touchdown around the time the line judge signals the touchdown.
No harm, no foul.
(UPDATE: Just spoke with Charles Bloom in the SEC office. Bloom said SEC officials coordinator Rogers Redding has reviewed the tape of the Garcia play and the conference plans to take no action against Hackett. The conference believes Hackett was protecting himself on the play.)
79 Comments to “Updated: SEC plans no action on official”
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USC football beat writer Joe Person has covered the Gamecocks since the start of the 2002 season. He's been on the college football beat since 1993. 
Does any one remember Grand Theft Auburn, where the ref blew the pass interference call against LSU in Auburn in 06. The SEC taking no action what a shocker.
What!!! Are you blind that official clearly came after the Quaterback, I don’t think he should be fired unless it changed the outcome of the game, otherwise a suspension without pay would suit him fine.
This hit was intentional. Watch the way the ref sets up to prepare for the hit. At no time does it appear that Garcia is headed for the ref. SEC screwed this one up. This man was out to interfere with the play once he saw Garcia carrying the ball. He had an axe to grind, just not sure what it was yet! One reporter stated that they tried to contact him and got no answer. DUH! He knows what he did and is not going to expose himself to questions that could possibly bring out his purpose in doing this. SEC has probably dared him to talk to anyone.
Personally, after studying the slo mo video very closely, it looks to me that the ref only reacted to the change in direction of the player, and, as any good linebacker would do, protected himself. Up to that point, he was singularly focused on the ball carrier. From the sound of it, he was a very good linebacker in his day. That kind of reactionary capability never goes away and remains with the player for life. I probably would have done something similar under the circumstances as it is always better to give, hit for hit, than to just sit back and receive one.
Ok, first of all, if you think an official would intentionally tackle a player, well, I guess that’s a whole other topic. Secondly, it’s a state emergency when an official is in the middle of the play when it’s against your team, but it is ok to run your pass routes in a way that he runs interference for you against the defense??
I think that at the least the LSU Tigers should have gotton a penalty for 12 men on the field. If you watch the replay of the huddle that same ref was actually in the huddle with LSU.
LOOK AT THE FOOTAGE CARFULLY AGAIN YOU ‘LL SEE THAT THE QUARTERBACK CHANGED DIRECTION USING THE REF AS A SHEILD.
THE REF WAS PROTECTING HIM SELF BY DIOING WHAT HE’S KNOWS BEST.
FROM BEING IN A SOME WHAT STAND-STILL POSITION HE HAD TO MOVE FORWARD
The ref was in a CIF game when he was younger and missed the running back going up the middle and the other team scored,the REF SAID he cannot aford to let this happen again,the instinct was automatically kicked in.AND THE REST IS HISTORY. HAAA!!!! GO REFS
I think it’s a case of old reflexes coming to the fore under pressure. The man was (admitted:formerly) a player, he was in position, the ball was coming at him, you brace and hit. Sure he tracked him, but if it was truly intentional, he would have followed through and flattened him, as I doubt Garcia was looking for a hit from him. So I think it was a mistake. I know I’ve had some moments where I do something dumb on autopilot. I bet he felt great for a split second (Got Him!) then like a real dufus. So I’m inclined to give the guy a break.
I would have used a clothesline and finished the tackle. How obvious….
i think perhaps the reason that they did not fire him or havent placed any consequences is a recial reason.its all about niggers gettin back at white people for them having been slaves.fuck niggers,fuck obama.
yea it does look like the ref is going after the QB. but put yourself in his position. would you really stand there and not lean into the hit?? bullshit. like one guy said on here the ref didn’t have time to think, only react. yes the ref could have probably avoided contact all together but i would have braced myself and leaned in just to make sure i wasn’t thrown across the goal line.
I really do think he got lost in the moment. That’s not excusable…but what the next minute of footage after the play- Hackett looks MISERABLE! lol. I just graduated from USC last year, i’m a rabid gamecock fan, I do think it’s intentional but I don’t think he had some agenda!
PS Garcia is going to be a beast of a QB. We get an OL, Tebow won’t have %#$& on us!
GO COCKS!
fire all the asshats defending this ref as being in defensive mode………shills are destroying the very fabric of america with this type of behavior!
What people seem to miss on this is that the same offical, had a great “no call” on a facemask on Cook that would have given USC the ball 1 and goal from the 2 instead of 3rd and 4 from the 4. I dont think any offical with SEC alum ties should be allowed in to SEC games.
You guys dont find it interesting that the school this guy was “the first” and the man at was the same school that Steven dismanttled in the second half just a week before and cost most likely put UK in last place in the SEC east and out of a bowl game for sure.
I am not just mentioning and I down right calling him out.
And I dont think Clemson fans would find it funny at all.
Plus with there lil All-American not lasting 4 series total I would not say to much.
PS boy I wish I could type.
Jayinnorfolk is correct. This same official (even the sportscaster on tv commented on it) was involved in more than one play. One in the hit and another with a no call. The SEC needs to take another look at this and find out what his motives were and if they still chose to say it was not intentional then the SEC Board needs to be investigated for not performing their duties. I personally believe he was ticked off that Kentucky lost and used his position to vent this anger.
Here is the question I have… would it affect South Carolina after the fact? I mean i understand (and agree) it should be looked into for the principal of the matter, but would our guys get a bone thrown their way in any shape or form? I feel like our boys get shafted quite a bit. With this ref thing for sure-
but also just in general. Our school makes it a point that our athletes pay a price for poor conduct off the field and this gets construed as us having more problems than a lot of other school.
Just a shame our boys play damn good, sportsman-like football but get nailed as looking like trouble makers or just get straight-up nailed by refs!
I sure hope Spurrier is talking our guys up in the locker room. I genuinely believe they deserve it.
Also…fire that ref.
GO COCKS!
Well, “cleared by the SEC Officials’ office” is like Colonel Klink saying “I see notting, notting at all.”
All I can figure is that some football instinct took over, because he was NOT defending himself.
Fire him? Hell, suit him up again. Surely the NCAA will give him a 36th year of eligibility?
This same official screened off an LSU LB on one of our cross patterns, and the replay officials DID give us (charitable characterization) that TD on 4th down. Speaking of which, the replay refs are REALLY stretching things in all kinds of games lately…
Well I’ve read and seen it all.I want to say alot but after last year and this recent #$%^ crap I reckon we’ve now got to beat the refs first and the opponent next.
This is not my character but we must be the most hated team in the sec but if that’s the case then we must be the most feared.
I’d love to see a pattern where the tight end just pancakes the closest ref.
I think we’ve earned our place but this is totally out of bounds.He clearly took a shot at Garcia’s throwing shoulder.
John
What everybody is missing by watching the umpire is the leading-with-the-helmet spear hit the LSU player puts on Garcia. Watch it again! This time look at the LSU player lower his helmet before contact. Also, this was not the only time LSU did this in this game.
Is there a moderator of this column? Who let Jake H out from under his rock?
Same old Gamecocks conspiracy theories: everyone out to get you in the SEC, Chicken Curse, Rod Garnder pushed off, terrible calls, ref intentionally decked your QB. Will the excuses ever stop ??? Clowns.
Well now we have a QB with a shoulder issue.Wonder where that might have come from?
If the SEC continues to take care of LSU as last year truly proved,there will be repurcusions.Hell ESPN showed the hit tonite.
Everybody knows this is a farce.
Let the tight end handle it.
John
This made the news even here in Finland on a local tabloid’s web site. Here’s the link http://www.iltalehti.fi/urheilu/200810248481274_ur.shtml.
Shortly put it says that according to the official interpretation the referee was protecting himself, even that anyone can see that it would have been easier for him to get out of the way.
For all Gamecock fans, patience. You eat an elephant one bite at a time. The Gamecock’s defense rocks, you have very promising QB (who can really develop something under Spurrier’s coaching) and a plethora of potential targets for him. Only the running game and offensive line needs to improve. Go Cocks!
wonderflu post))
Good night, bloggers =)
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