The BIG EAST's instant replay system is a process whereby video review is used to confirm, reverse or let stand certain on-field decisions made by game officials, and is designed to allow for specific types of officiating calls to be immediately reviewed and corrected during all Conference and non-conference home games. 

 

The instant replay process operates under the fundamental assumption that the ruling on the field is correct. The replay official may reverse a ruling if, and only if, the video evidence convinces him beyond all doubt that the ruling was incorrect. Without such indisputable video evidence, the replay official must allow the ruling to stand. The replay system will not guarantee that all officiating mistakes are corrected.

 

During televised games, all reviewable video will come directly from the television network broadcasting the game (ABC Sports, ESPN, ESPN2, ERT, etc.). In non-televised games, all reviewable video will come directly from four in-house video cameras. The review process will never use both television and in-house cameras in any one game.

 

The BIG EAST has upgraded its replay system to include high-definition monitors.

 

The BIG EAST Conference instant replay system is not the NFL model. A review can be triggered by the replay official in the press box, or the head coach on the field. The replay officials will have available to them the video coming directly from the television network broadcasting the game or from four in-house video cameras. The DVSport Digital Replay software will be used for all reviews. Unlike the NFL, there is no limit to the number of plays that can be reviewed by the replay official. Coaches are limited to one challenge per game. If a coach’s challenge is successful, he may use another challenge during the game. After a review has been completed, if the on-field ruling is reversed, that team’s timeout will not be charged.

 

Beginning in 2011, each coaching staff will have access to the live game feed in its respective coaching booth in order to provide information to the head coach as to whether a play should be challenged.

 

 

Games Using Replay:  61

Game Interruptions for Replay:  117

Coaches’ Challenges:  13

Coaches’ Challenges Reversed:  0

Replays per Game:  1.92

Calls Overturned:  29

Average Time of Review:  1:16

 

The following plays are subject to review under Big East instant replay:

 

ARTICLE 1. Reviewable plays involving a potential score include:

a. Live ball breaking the plane of a goal line while in a ball carrier’s possession.

b. Live ball ruled dead in possession of a runner when in the immediate continuing action the ball breaks the plane of the opponent’s goal line.

c. Field goal attempts if and only if the ball is ruled (a) below or above the crossbar or (b) inside or outside the uprights when it is lower than the top of the uprights. If the ball is higher than the top of the uprights as it crosses the end line, the play may not be reviewed.

 

ARTICLE 2. Reviewable plays involving passes include:

a. Pass ruled complete, incomplete or intercepted anywhere in the field or play or an end zone.

b. Forward pass touched by a player or an official.

c. Forward pass or forward handing when a ball carrier is or has been beyond the neutral zone.

d. A forward pass or forward handing after a change of team possession

e. Pass ruled forward or backward when thrown from behind the neutral zone.

   1. If the pass is ruled forward and is incomplete, the play is reviewable only if there is clear recovery of a loose ball in the immediate continuing action after the loose ball. If the replay official does not have indisputable video evidence as to which team recovers, the ruling of incomplete pass stands.

   2. If the replay official reverses an incomplete forward pass ruling and the ball is recovered, it belongs to the recovering team at the spot of the recovery and any advance is nullified.

 

ARTICLE 3. Reviewable plays involving potential dead balls and loose balls include:

a. Loose ball by a potential passer ruled a fumble.

b. Loose ball by a passer ruled incomplete forward pass when there is clear recovery in the immediate continuing action after the loose ball.

1. If the replay official does not have indisputable video evidence as to which team recovers, the ruling of incomplete pass stands.

2. If the replay official rules fumble, the ball belongs to the recovering team at the spot of the recovery and any advance is nullified.

c. Live ball not ruled dead in possession of a ball carrier.

d. Loose ball ruled dead or live ball ruled dead in possession of a ball carrier when the clear recovery of a loose ball occurs in the immediate continuing action.

1. If the ball is ruled dead and the replay official does not have indisputable video evidence as to which team recovers, the dead-ball ruling stands.

2. If the replay official rules that the ball was not dead, it belongs to the recovering team at the spot of the recovery and any advance is nullified.

e. Ball carrier’s forward progress with respect to a first down.

f. Catch or recovery of a fumble by a Team A player other than the fumbler before any change of possession during fourth down or a try.

g. Ball carrier in or out of bounds. If a ball carrier is ruled out of bounds, the play is not reviewable, except as in Rules 12-3-1-a and 12-3-3-d.

h. Catch or recovery of a loose ball by a player potentially touching a sideline or end line.

i.  A loose ball touching on or beyond a sideline, goal line, or end line, touching a pylon, or breaking the plane of a goal line.

 

ARTICLE 4. Reviewable plays involving kicks include:

a. Touching of a kick.

b. Player beyond the neutral zone when kicking the ball.

c. Kicking team player advancing a ball after a potential muffed kick/fumble by the receiving team.

d. Scrimmage kick crossing the neutral zone.

 

ARTICLE 5.

a. The number of players on the field by either team during a live ball.

b. Clock adjustment when a ruling is reviewed.

c. Clock adjustment at the end of either half. If, at the end of the half, the game clock expires, either during a down in which it should be stopped by rule when the ball becomes dead or following the down upon a request for an available team timeout, the replay official may restore time only under these conditions:

1. The replay official has indisputable video evidence that time should have remained on the game clock when the ball became dead or when the team timeout was granted;

2. The team in possession when the ball became dead would next put the ball in play from scrimmage;

3. In the fourth quarter only, either the score is tied or the team that will next snap the ball is behind by eight points or fewer; and

4. The replay official’s video evidence includes the timeout signal by an official in the case where the game clock should have stopped for a requested team timeout.

d. Correcting the number of a down.

1. This includes the result of a penalty enforcement that includes an automatic first down or loss of down.

2. The correction may be made at any time within that series of downs or before the ball is legally put in play following that series.

e. Any person who is not a player interfering with live-ball action occurring in the field of play (Rule 9-2-3).

 

ARTICLE 6. No other plays or officiating decisions are reviewable. However, the replay official may correct egregious errors, including those involving the game clock, whether or not a play is reviewable. This excludes fouls that are not specifically reviewable (Reviewable fouls: Rules 12-3-2-c and d and 12-3-4-b and 12-3-5-a).