That whole review is still bothering me. Why not an inadvertent whistle? Why wasn't Arizona allowed to advance the football? Had to look it up, and learned something new:
"On fourth down before a change of team possession, when a Team A fumble is caught or recovered by a Team A player other than the fumbler, the ball is dead. If the catch or recovery is beyond the spot of the fumble, the ball is returned to the spot of the fumble. If the catch or recovery is behind the spot of the fumble, the ball remains at the spot of the catch or recovery."
That was technically a DeLaura fumble, so the running back was not allowed to advance it. So even thought PAC-12refFS shouldn't have blown the whistle, the correct outcome happened. That being said, Arizona should have received a gift on that play, as an inadvertent whistle should have resulted in a replay of the down:
"If an official sounds their whistle inadvertently or otherwise signals the ball dead during a down (Rules 4-1-3-k, m and n) (A. R. 4-1-2-I-V): 1. When the ball is in player possession, the team in possession may elect to put the ball in play where declared dead or repeat the down. 2. When the ball is loose from a fumble, backward pass or illegal pass, the team in possession may elect to put the ball in play where possession was lost or repeat the down (Exception: Rule 12-3-3-d)."
Comments
"On fourth down before a change of team possession, when a Team
A fumble is caught or recovered by a Team A player other than the
fumbler, the ball is dead. If the catch or recovery is beyond the spot of
the fumble, the ball is returned to the spot of the fumble. If the catch
or recovery is behind the spot of the fumble, the ball remains at the
spot of the catch or recovery."
That was technically a DeLaura fumble, so the running back was not allowed to advance it. So even thought PAC-12refFS shouldn't have blown the whistle, the correct outcome happened. That being said, Arizona should have received a gift on that play, as an inadvertent whistle should have resulted in a replay of the down:
"If an official sounds their whistle inadvertently or otherwise signals the ball
dead during a down (Rules 4-1-3-k, m and n) (A. R. 4-1-2-I-V):
1. When the ball is in player possession, the team in possession may
elect to put the ball in play where declared dead or repeat the down.
2. When the ball is loose from a fumble, backward pass or illegal
pass, the team in possession may elect to put the ball in play where
possession was lost or repeat the down (Exception: Rule 12-3-3-d)."
Tenn/Bama 52/49.