The controversial closing seconds offensive pass interference penalty, which negated a game-winning touchdown pass from Everett Golson to Corey Robinson has been charged to a different player. In ND’s 31-27 loss at Florida State last night, the second to last play featured an Irish touchdown waived off due to an infraction originally called on Notre Dame junior wide receiver C.J. Prosise.
Brian Kelly talking to the media today about the play:
“Actually, I have less clarity,” Kelly said.
“I guess it was actually called on Will Fuller, not C.J. Just adds more uncertainty as to the final play. Again, the play itself in terms of what we ask our kids to do, it was pretty clear what happened on the play. Florida State blew the coverage and they got rewarded for it. So it’s unfortunate.”
Kelly was asked on the teleconference today for further clarification:
“I think it was incorrectly relayed in the play-by-play. The officials announced on the field that it was Will Fuller…We’ll have our conversations with the supervisor of officials for the ACC here a little bit later this afternoon. I’m sure we’ll get even less clarification.”
Obviously, Kelly sounds a bit bitter and chippy about it, and who could blame him? He believes that he got shafted on the call, and today the penalty does seem a bit fishy. Or at least fishier given that the officials all of sudden changed the offender from Prosise to Will Fuller.
Still, experts on these matters claim that the correct call was in fact made. People who know a lot about this stuff claim the ruling last night was the right one.
Of course, these types of penalties are rarely called, so it was a bold move by the ACC officiating crew to do this and not “just let them play.”
Let’s move on.
This penalty doesn’t negate the breakout season Will Fuller is having.
Cash rules everything around a select cadre of seven Notre Dame football players. They call themselves “The Money Team” and it consists of Tarean Folston (Sophomore, Running Back), Will Fuller (Sophomore,Wide Receiver), KeiVarae Russell (currently suspended Cornerback), Cole Luke (sophomore cornerback), Greg Bryant (sophomore running back) Jaylon Smith (sophomore linebacker) and Torii Hunter Jr. (sophomore wide receiver)
“We got a little group that we do call the Money Team” said Fuller.
“We hang out 22 hours out of the day. We eat together, sleep together, do everything together,” he continued.
It’s an extremely close knit group of mostly sophomore skill position players.
Two of them are establishing themselves as the go to option at their position. Fuller has become the #1 wide receiver that ND has been looking to find in the absence of the suspended Davaris Daniels.
Folston has emerged to become the featured back.
“I feel like my performance was pretty good. I still have to get better at some things—pass protection, a little bit of stamina, and staying humble while knowing that there is always something to work on,” said Folston of his performance versus North Carolina.
So here in mid-season, the Fighting Irish have found their go-to-receiver and running back.
Both are on the money team.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and very often writes The Sports Bank.net ,which is partners with Fox Sports. Read his features stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Listen to him on 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks). His work has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including The Washington Post and ESPN 2