Officials fail to notice Notre Dame's Brian Kelly standing on field during USC's game-deciding onside kick
A Notre Dame-USC game that got testy at halftime ended in controversy on Saturday, as officials somehow failed to notice a wildly gesturing, presumably screaming man that was jumping up and down on the field during a game-deciding onside kick attempt for the Trojans.
The man in question: Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly.
Lololol when your coach doesn’t give a damn pic.twitter.com/i5CzI8uobG
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 13, 2019
Brian Kelly was on the field *during* the onside kick and Clay Helton was NOT happy about it. pic.twitter.com/V6iBFidG33
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 13, 2019
The onside-kick attempt came after a Markese Stepp touchdown that cut Notre Dame’s lead to three points at 30-27. With Kelly on the field, USC attempted to get the ball back with a minute left in the game, but were unable to recover the ball.
Unlike the officials, USC head coach Clay Helton did notice Kelly on the field and asked if the play was reviewable after it didn’t go his team’s way.
Clay Helton on Brian Kelly being on the field for the onside kick: “Should have been a flag. No question.”
Helton said that he was asking the referees if the play was reviewable.— Keely Eure (@keelyismyname) October 13, 2019
Had an official noticed Kelly, USC might have gotten another attempt at kicking the ball, but alas. Such is life with a Pac-12 officiating crew.
Thanks to a massive day on the ground from running back Tony Jones Jr. and company (308 rushing yards), No. 9 Notre Dame survived the comeback scare from USC. The Irish will now head into a bye week with another rivalry game at Michigan on tap for Oct. 26.
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