COLLEGE FOOTBALL REPORT / WEEKDAY UPDATE : UCLA : Penalty May Have Been a Phantom Call

Verle Sorgen, supervisor of Pacific 10 Conference officials, could not verify the pass interference penalty called against UCLA’s Dion Lambert that preceded an Oregon touchdown late in last Saturday’s game at Eugene, Ore.

UCLA led, 24-13, at the time but eventually lost, 28-24.

“I didn’t see anything,” Sorgen said. “(The film) didn’t show it. We get a sideline game film taken by the home school. That’s the film I’ve looked at.

“The camera is too late swinging around to it. The Oregon pass receiver (Anthony Jones) has already made his break and, by that time, they’re free (from contact). But the flag is already out at that point.”

Sorgen said he spoke with Oregon Coach Rich Brooks and that none of his films show pass interference. “So he can’t comment one way, or another,” Sorgen said.

Sorgen added that referee Pat Flood watched the play on Prime Ticket replay and didn’t see any infraction from what the camera allowed him to see.

Sorgen said that Gary Hirst, the side judge who made the call, “is a veteran official, and I don’t think he’s going to call anything that’s ticky tacky.”