Kentucky AD tweets support for Benny Snell following RB's bowl ejection
Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart feels running back Benny Snell was wrongfully ejected during the Music City Bowl on Friday.
Snell was ejected for pushing referee Chris Coyte’s hands away after the official reached them out to help Snell up. Snell, understandably, was frustrated that officials didn’t call Northwestern players for a late hit after he was driven backwards and to the ground after whistles to stop the play.
“I was on top of the play,” Coyte said after the game to a pool reporter. “And the player got up and grabbed my arms and pushed them away and contacted me. That’s a foul.”
Here’s what Barnhart had to say on Twitter.
Much has been made of the ejection of Benny Snell last week. While this is not something I would typically comment on, I feel it is important to do so since Benny’s intentions and character have been called into question.
— Mitch Barnhart (@UKMitchBarnhart) January 3, 2018
Benny’s frustration and his passion for the game are why he reacted the way he did, but he was not deserving of an ejection. It is unfortunate our fans didn’t get to see one of the best running backs in the country play against an excellent Northwestern team.
— Mitch Barnhart (@UKMitchBarnhart) January 3, 2018
Northwestern held on to win the game 24-23 after a game-winning Kentucky two-point conversion fell incomplete.
Snell’s ejection came under more scrutiny when SEC officials declined to eject Miami coach Mark Richt when Richt made contact with an official.
Richt apologized Monday for his actions.
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
