[Bryan Fuller]
What’s your view of the last spot there before the touchdown?
“That it wasn’t a first down by that much.” [holds hands apart about eight inches]
So you agreed with the call, then?
“That it was not a first down. The officiating, I’m bitterly disappointed with the officiating today. That spot—the graphic display is the interference penalties. The one not called on us when Grant Perry clearly was being hooked before the ball got there, and the previous penalty called on Delano Hill, the ball’s uncatchable and by the receiver. So yeah, I’m bitterly disappointed in the officiating. Can’t make that any more clear.”
[Ed. A- The second Harbaugh used “bitterly” I knew that I’d heard that word spoken with the exact same inflection before. I realized about the time we were leaving the stadium that Harbaugh said it the way Bo did in the archival footage used in Tiebreaker. Watch through 33:38 if you can stomach it.]
[After THE JUMP: the most bizarre explanation for a personal foul I have ever heard]
I misunderstood--
“My view of the first down was that it was that short [holds hands apart about eight inches].”
How do you feel this game affects the rivalry?
“Right now it’s not on my mind. It’s what I said.”
Do you feel that your team deserved to win?
“I thought our guys have worked incredibly hard. They have done everything that they could, and they’ve done it so very well. I’m very proud of our players, yes.”
Did you consider going for two?
“Two penalties all day. Multiple holding penalties let go. Multiple false starts. The official on my side who’s supposed to be watching that is concerned with whether our coaches are in the white or not in the white. Not on the field. Their coaches were on the field [and] practically in the huddle at times. Yeah, I’m bitter.”
Did you consider going for two after the touchdown in overtime?
“No. Considered it, considered and decided to kick the extra point.”
Do you think there’s any shot at getting into the playoff with two losses?
“I don’t know.”
Do you think you deserve to be in the playoff?
[chuckles] “I told you what I think. Thought our guys did everything they possibly could. Bitterly disappointed with the officiating. That’s how I feel right now.”
Jim, when did you know Wilton would go and can you talk about his play other than the big turnovers?
“Yeah, um, doctors had cleared him to practice this week. He was chomping at the bit to go. He showed that he was functional right up to the level that he’s been playing at all year. After he practiced on Tuesday, Wednesday, made the decision that he would start.”
What did you say to your team when you got in the locker room right after? I’m sure it was a very disappointed group. What did you say to them?
“Same things I’ve said to you.”
Disappointed in the officiating.
“And the other thing before that. Very proud of our team. This group has worked incredibly hard. Done everything they possibly could do, and they’ve done it so very well. Very proud of our team. That’s what I told them.”
Despite the officiating, are these the two best teams in the Big Ten?
“Uh, I don’t know.”
Defensively, you did a really good job of holding right up until the fourth quarter, then they got some things going. What were you able to do so well defensively, and did anything change from what you saw in the fourth quarter?
“Yeah, I mean, I thought we were doing a heck of a job. They got a gift interference call. A gift. The ball was uncatchable, past the receiver, when our guy, Delano Hill, made contact. And then fast forward to overtime, second overtime, Grant Perry is getting hooked, turned before the ball gets there. I think that really benefitted them, that gift interference penalty.”
Do you feel you lost this game or had it taken from you?
“I don’t know. What do you think? That’s what I think. As I said, bitterly disappointed in the officiating.
“So concerned about—could have been watching the game instead of being concerned about throwing a—what, did you throw a hat? Throw your script toward your sideline? That’s a penalty? I asked him that and he said, ‘Well, it is in basketball.’ I go, ‘Well, this isn’t basketball.’ He told me he officiates basketball. I don’t know the relevance. He said it would have been a technical in basketball. Yeah, I’m bitter.”
It’s gonna be tough to make the playoff. What would you say, what would your case be to get your team in there?
“We make our case on the field. I’m not here to make any arguments or any cases. I feel like our team has done everything they possibly could do and done it very well.”
Could you talk about Kenny Allen today and how big he came up for you?
“Yeah, Kenny was really outstanding, especially that last punt. Kickoffs were great. Field goals were great. He played as well as he possibly can play.”
Jim, you’ve been in a lot of big games. Can you remember a time where you came out of a game feeling like this about the officiating and the outcome?
“Yeah, I can remember a few other times. Not to this level, though.
[SID points to next reporter, reporter almost starts to ask question]
“Felt like there were some outrageous calls, including the one that would have ended the game. They had a good camera angle on it, ball doesn’t make it to the line. Gave ‘em a first down.”
Before the announcement that that call was upheld, did you ever get a good look at it before it was actually announced on review?
“Uh, our guys in the box were seeing it. I was seeing it on the big screen. You guys were seeing it on TV. What’d you see?”
[someone whispers ‘Short’]
“Short? What’d you see?”
Short.
“Short. It’s outrageous.”
Your defense played so well for much of the game, really dominated at stages. Does that add to the disappointment that it looked like you had control of the game?
“Yeah, I thought we were—I thought we did a heck of a job defensively. Got a gift interference call. You see that one? We’re probably just gonna keep beating a dead horse here because you know how I feel. Don’t know where else we can go with this.”