ASU DC Danny Gonzales fined by Pac-12 after officiating comments

“The Pac-12 has specific rules that prohibit our coaches from making public comments about officiating, and this prohibition includes comments that create doubts about the credibility of the conference’s officiating program,” Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement.

“We have an obligation to our membership to enforce the conference rules which they have approved.”

Gonzales let it be known his frustrations with the officials following the team’s 20-13 loss to the Cardinal on Thursday.

“I’m probably going to get in trouble, reprimanded, whatever it is. That’s as unfair of a football game as I’ve ever been a part of,” Gonzales said after the loss. “A couple of those penalties were — if they call it both ways, it’s fine. They weren’t and I don’t agree with them. They’re mugging our guys and I don’t agree with it.”

Gonzales felt there were numerous times where penalties dictated the game. There were two pass interference calls in the second quarter that led to a game-tying field goal before another PI call would result in a touchdown by Stanford in the third quarter.

In a press conference on Wednesday, before he was fined, Gonzales addressed the comments he made.

“First, we did not lose that game because of the calls the officials made. And if I came across that way, that was not my point. I think those calls in football games, I think when you’re invested in something, when you think it’s not going the right direction — and I didn’t — I expressed my opinion.

“I’ve been doing this long enough to know that I should’ve watched the tape before I say some things. Some of my comments were — I believe in. Some of them, probably not as– a couple of the ones, I said the ball was 15 yards out of bounds, it wasn’t.”

Losing 20-13 to Stanford, ASU (3-4) has fallen by a touchdown in each of their four losses.

“I don’t think anybody ever intentionally tries to cheat you,” Gonzales said. “I don’t think that. I don’t think there’s a single referee that would do that. Those guys go through a pretty rigorous training and stuff.”

The Sun Devils next test is on the road against the USC Trojans.