The ACC has slapped fines and public reprimands on Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher and Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi for publicly criticizing officials during their respective games over the weekend.
Fisher was fined $20,000, while Narduzzi was fined $5,000.
Fisher ripped into the officials following his team’s 37-34 loss to Clemson on Saturday night for a pair of calls that went against his club. “You hold coaches accountable, players accountable, hold the damn officials accountable. It’s garbage,” he said. “… It’s cowardly. It’s gutless. It’s wrong.”
Narduzzi was critical of, as he saw it, officials allowing Virginia Tech receivers to push off his defensive backs in the Hokies’ 39-36 win over the Panthers Thursday night.
Pat Narduzzi on VT WRs: "They did a great job pushing off all night. Give them credit for that."
— Chris Peak (@PantherLair) October 28, 2016
“Public criticism of officials or public comments evaluating the officiating of particular contests is not in the best interest of intercollegiate athletics,” the ACC’s sportsmanship policy said. “Individuals associated with the athletics program are prohibited, therefore, from commenting while acting in an official capacity on officiating other than directly to the conference office.”
The released noted that each fine was an “institutional” one, meaning the cash won’t likely come out of each coaches’ respective pockets. But if it did, Fisher’s $20,000 fine accounts for 0.38% of his $5.25 million salary, or $190 on a $50,000 salary. Narduzzi’s salary is not publicly available.
