NCAA Refs Were Way Too Quick To Call 'Roughing The Passer' Penalties On Saturday

One of the most consistent things about college football is the soft nature of many roughing the passer calls. And it’s bad for football.

The first culprit came during the first half of the Iowa State vs. Kansas game. Jayhawks quarterback Jason Bean scrambled to his right, looking to complete a pass downfield. After Bean released the ball, Cyclones defender Zachary Lovett closed in on the quarterback. Lovett looked like he wanted to make hit, but relented at the last second.

As he relented and braced himself, Bean was also heading to the ground in a sliding motion. That’s when Lovett’s extended arm hit Bean, and earned him the penalty.

However, the play wasn’t that egregious. Here’s the video, you be the judge.

I’ve seen harder hits not get called. But whatever you may think about this play, it’s nothing compared to what happened in the Alabama vs. LSU game.

This Roughing The Passer Call Was The Worst In Recent Memory

In the first quarter of this SEC clash, Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels dropped back to pass. The pocket collapsed all around him, and he threw an incomplete pass.

Everyone thought the play was over, but the refs indicated there was a penalty. Once again, they called “roughing the passer,” but Daniels wasn’t touched by anyone.

Don’t believe me? See for yourself.

I really do get that the NCAA wants to protect quarterbacks. It’s the most important position in the game, and they want to keep star players at this position healthy.

But for goodness sake, let the defense play football. Otherwise, the NCAA will have the same problem as the NFL.