SEC Reprimands Kiffin, Again

In the wake of Tennessee's 12-10 loss to Alabama, Lane Kiffin expressed displeasure over the penalty disparity -- Alabama received one penalty for 10 yards while Tennessee received eight for 68 -- the lack of a penalty on Terrance Cody on the game's final play, and even suggested that the referees were the reason he chose to kick the field goal from 44 yards rather than run another play to move closer.

"You run another play and you throw an interception or they throw another flag on us," Kiffin said Sunday. "I wasn't going to let the refs lose the game for us there and some magical flag appear."

The SEC fired back today, reprimanding the Tennessee coach.

In a statement e-mailed to the media, Commissioner Mike Slive spoke out against Kiffin's criticism.

"Coach Kiffin has violated the Southeastern Conference Code of Ethics," Slive said. "SEC Bylaw 10.5.4 clearly states that coaches, players and support personnel shall refrain from all public criticism of officials.

"Coach Kiffin is on notice that for any further violations of SEC policies will subject him to additional penalties including suspension."

In February, Kiffin was reprimanded for faslely accusing Florida coach Urban Meyer of a recruiting violation.

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen was also reprimanded by the league Monday. Mullen questioned the instant replay official in the Bulldogs' loss to Florida, who failed to overturn a touchdown by Florida linebacker Dustin Doe. Doe returned an intercepted pass to the end zone during the fourth quarter Saturday night, but appeared to drop the ball in celebration before it crossed the goal line.

"I don't even know why we have replay right now in the Southeastern Conference if they're not going to utilize it," Mullen said.

The public criticism of the officiating comes in the wake of notable officiating failures in earlier SEC games that have led to apologies from the league. The SEC admitted error in both the the "excessive celebration" penalty called against Georgia's A.J. Green in the Bulldogs' narrow loss to LSU to the flags from nowhere against Arkansas in its near-upset of Florida. The SEC's public mea culpa as well as suspensions of officials has emboldened coaches to speak out publicly on the issue. After his team's loss to Florida, Bobby Petrino ripped the officiating and received a letter of reprimand as well.

So evidently calling attention to bad calls is the sole province of the league. For now, Kiffin remains on thin ice with the commissioner. Although, to be fair, a second public reprimand is the rough equivalent of a teacher banging his ruler on the desk for the second time. Whether SEC Commissioner Mike Slive would be willing to actually suspend a coach for expressing his opinion on a football matter, remains to be seen.

Regardless, the SEC's letter comes as no surprise to Kiffin.

"I'm sure we'll get one of those letters that really means nothing as Bobby [Petrino] got last week, but Florida and Alabama live on," Kiffin said on Sunday.

Clay Travis is the author of three books. His latest, "On Rocky Top: A Front Row Seat to The End of an Era" chronicles the 2008 Tennessee football season and is on sale now.

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