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Team....2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Nebraska......7.4, 5.3, 6.4, 7.2, 8.5
Oklahoma.....8.5, 4.9, 6.9, 7.3, 8.2
Texas.............7.6, 5.5, 6.2, 6.4, 8.7
Big 12 football teams are drawing on average 1.6 more penalties a game this season than last (7.8 to 6.2), but that hasn’t caused any hubbub in the conference office.
Assistant Commissioner Ed Stewart, a former All-America linebacker at Nebraska, said it’s difficult to draw in-season conclusions from half a year of data.
Two things likely are at play, he said from Dallas, starting with the normal up-and-down cycle of statistics.
From 2000-09, the following number of Big 12 teams was ranked 70th or worse nationally in penalties against: 6, 3, 3, 4, 5, 10, 3, 5, 8 and 9. Of those nine this season, seven currently are 102nd or worse.
Something else factoring in, Stewart said, is points of emphasis for officials in different seasons.
More penalties were likely this season with a national emphasis on increasing player safety by cracking down on any blow to the head, helmet-to-helmet hits, horse-collar tackles and chop blocks.
“And then internally in the Big 12, we’ve had another point of emphasis, and that’s on holding,’’ Stewart said. “The coaches told us it needed to be watched closer.’’
A check of penalty averages during the past five seasons for Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas show a wide range (see chart).
Long-term statistical analyses have shown that high penalty numbers don’t correlate to overall success.
From 2005-08, Florida was ranked 104th, 118th, 113th and 105th out of 119 teams. In that stretch, the Gators went 44-9 and claimed two national titles.
In that same stretch, Iowa State was 15th, 16th, sixth and 79th in penalties per game. ISU went 26-32 and played in one bowl game.
Stewart said Walt Anderson, the Big 12’s coordinator of football officials, does a comprehensive analysis of all penalties at season’s end and shares the results with member schools.
“It’s hard to pinpoint things during the season,’’ Stewart said. “Walt is so busy coaching up our current officials and answering coaches’ questions.’’
Queries come in regularly from Big 12 coaches, Stewart said, because the league encourages it.
“We want as much input and feedback as we can get,’’ he said.
Contact the writer:
444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com
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