Refs' Mistake Helped Sink Navy

Fumble That Hit Pylon Was Not Ruled Touchback

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 21 -- A misinterpretation of a rule by the referees and replay official in the final four minutes of the Poinsettia Bowl on Thursday night affected Navy's chances to win the game.

Utah defeated the Midshipmen, 35-32, before 39,129 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. A crucial sequence occurred with about four minutes to play, and the officials and replay official, all from the Mid-American Conference, acknowledged after the game that they made an incorrect ruling.

On third and goal from the 4-yard line, Utah freshman wide receiver Jereme Brooks caught a pass from junior Brian Johnson and, as he extended the ball toward the goal line, was hit by junior cornerback Ketric Buffin. The ball fell forward and hit the pylon.

Initially, the referee ruled that the ball belonged to Utah at the 1-yard line. But Navy's coaches and players began screaming for a review because they believed that a fumble that hits a pylon is considered a touchback and the ball should have been given to Navy at its 20.

The play was reviewed by the replay official. Less than a minute later, he returned a ruling that confirmed the call on the field as correct.

After the game, the officials acknowledged they had gotten the call wrong. They said the replay official thought the pylon was out of bounds. According to a published report, the replay official said he was unfamiliar with the rule stating that the call should have been a touchback.

"The ball was fumbled forward, hit the pylon," the officiating crew said in a statement. "The pylon is out of bounds, also in the end zone. The mistake was -- it should have been ruled a touchback."

The Midshipmen (8-5) held junior running back Darrell Mack to no gain on fourth and goal. But they then did not convert a fourth and two from the 9-yard line.

Utah (9-4) scored the clinching touchdown, a one-yard run by Mack, two plays later; it gave them a 35-25 lead with 1 minute 27 seconds to play.

Navy closed to 35-32 following a 58-yard touchdown pass from junior Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada to senior Zerbin Singleton with 55 seconds left.

Singleton also recovered an onside kick, just inches from where Coach Ken Niumatalolo was standing on the sideline. It is common practice for teams attempting an onside kick to kick the ball to a spot where the head coach is standing on the sideline; for his part, the coach marks the first possible spot where the ball can be touched by the kicking team (i.e. 10 yards from where it is kicked).

As Singleton came away with the ball, the estimated 30,000 Navy fans in attendance roared. The Midshipmen advanced to Utah territory before Kaheaku-Enhada threw an interception to sophomore cornerback Joe Dale with around 30 seconds to play.

"He never stops," Niumatalolo said of Singleton. "I'm sick for him that we didn't finish."

The loss was the first game for Niumatalolo as head coach. He was promoted after Paul Johnson resigned to become the head coach at Georgia Tech on Dec. 7. Navy finished with more than 400 yards.

The Midshipmen have reason to expect to be strong again next year following the performances of a pair of juniors. Fullback Eric Kettani had 125 yards on 12 carries; his 43-yard touchdown run gave the Midshipmen a 17-7 lead early in the third quarter. Kaheaku-Enhada rushed for 52 yards and a touchdown and completed 7 of 14 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns.

However, Kettani and Kaheaku-Enhada could not convert on fourth down from the Midshipmen 9. The Navy coaches believed Utah's aggressive defense would over-pursue an option play, so they called an apparent option to one side that actually was a sweep to the other side by Kaheaku-Enhada. Kettani missed a crucial block on Dale, who stopped Kaheaku-Enhada one yard short.

Senior linebacker Irv Spencer finished with 13 tackles and led the team for the season with 95.

"I'm through with football now and I'm about to start my naval career," he said. "That's what the brotherhood is all about. . . . Our school is about each other."