Pac-12 fines Oregon assistant Nick Aliotti $5,000 for comments

Nick Aliotti’s apology might have been heartfelt but it wasn’t good enough.

The Pac-12 Conference announced Monday it had reprimanded and fined Oregon’s defensive coordinator $5,000 for criticizing officials and also for post-game comments directed at Washington State Coach Mike Leach.

Aliotti had criticized the league’s officiating program leading up to Saturday’s Washington State game. After the game, he called Leach “low class” for passing on Oregon’s scout team late in a 62-38 Oregon win.

Washington State quarterback Connor Halliday set a major-college record with 89 passing attempts.

“The Pac-12 has specific rules that prohibit our coaches from making pulbic comments about officiating, and this prohibition specifically includes comments that create doubts about the credibility of the Conference’s officiating program,” Commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement about Aliotti. “His comments also showed a lack of support for the Pac-12’s policies on Sportsmanship and Standards of Conduct, which call for our coaches to treat opponents with respect.”

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