ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — After the game was over and his team had won, East Carolina coach Blake Harrell could be magnanimous about an officiating gaffe that nearly turned the tide in the Military Bowl.
ECU's Marlon Gunn Jr. had a long touchdown run called back because of an inadvertent whistle — and two snaps later, Pittsburgh forced a fumble and ran it back for a TD the other way to take the lead in the third quarter.
East Carolina, however, quickly rebounded and won the game 23-17, saving the Big 12 Conference officiating crew from an even bigger controversy.
“I felt bad for the official on the sideline,” Harrell said. “Made a mistake. We all make mistakes in life.”
ECU led 10-7 and faced fourth-and-1 from its own 32 in the third quarter when Gunn ran to the right, shed a couple of tacklers and went all the way to the end zone. But the touchdown was negated because of the whistle, and Gunn was credited with a 14-yard gain instead.
East Carolina was called for holding on the next snap, and then Chaston Ditta fumbled on a sack by Pitt's Rasheem Biles, who recovered the ball and returned it 23 yards to the end zone to give the Panthers a 14-10 lead.
“Unfortunately it didn't work out for our football team at that time and moment,” Harrell said. “And then two plays later, it works out for the other team, which makes it even look like a bigger play. But I think as coaches, if we lose our composure, our players are going to as well. How we react is how they react.”
The Pirates didn't stay behind for long. Ditta connected with Anthony Smith for a 72-yard touchdown on the next drive, and there was no whistle bringing that one back. ECU led the rest of the way after that.
“We didn't let one play be the outcome or the story of the game,” Harrell said.
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