ESPN rules analyst Bill LeMonnier was ripped by fans on Saturday after providing some disastrous commentary during the Tennessee-Ohio State game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
Ohio State was leading 21-0 in the second quarter and had the ball at the Tennessee 20. Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard threw to Jeremiah Smith in the end zone, but the pass was tipped and grabbed by Volunteers DB Will Brooks. The ruling on the field was an interception, but there were questions about whether Brooks got his body down before going out of bounds.
WHAT AN INTERCEPTION
“TIPS AND OVERTHROWS” ~ @DariusJButler #PMSCFP pic.twitter.com/kXD2gBRZx3
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 22, 2024
ESPN announcers Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit agreed with the ruling on the field and said they thought that Brooks had made the interception.
But rules analyst LeMonnier came in and said he thought it should have been ruled an incomplete pass because he felt Brooks did not have “firm control” of the ball before going out of bounds.
“I don’t see firm control with that toe, so I’m going to say incomplete pass. The other thing is, I think there should have been a pass interference,” LeMonnier said.
The comments left Fowler and Herbstreit asking more questions.
“How do you define firm control?” Fowler asked.
“I don’t know what firm control is,” Herbstreit said.
LeMonnier is correct that firm control is a factor in whether something is ruled a catch, but the comments looked bad when you consider that the officials decided the ruling would stand as called.
“Firm control”
Who is this clown???? 🤣🤷🏻♂️🎤
Bill is having a wild replay moment #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/ggnT6OqlR1
— Dave Ross (@drosssports) December 22, 2024
Fans took aim at LeMonnier over the botched analysis.
“Firm control” dude doesn’t know what he’s talking about😂😂. It was clear it was an interception lol. He just wanted to sound cool and technical
— Zay (@wyozayyy) December 22, 2024
Ayyee the commentator is hilarious in this OSU game. Talking about he didn’t have firm control of the ball but we watching the replay with the dude having two hands on the ball with a toe down 🤣
— Mekhi Vance (@KhiGunna__) December 22, 2024
This dude just said “he doesn’t have firm control”
Get him off the TV 😂
— Lord BLT 🥪 (@MrBradThomas) December 22, 2024
