Coach Mark Stoops on Music City Bowl referee: ‘He obviously lied’

[jbcarol]

Kentucky coach Mark Stoops didn't like the explanation he got from referee Chris Coyte on why running back Benny Snell was ejected from the Music City Bowl last week

Snell was thrown out of the game in the second quarter for contact with an official

"The call on Benny was inexcusable," Stoops said Friday morning on Kentucky Sports Radio. "I still haven't got an explanation because he lied. He obviously lied. So I stand by Benny 100 percent and I think it's absolutely the worst call I've ever seen."

Stoops' comments came two days after Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart defended Snell in a series of tweets.

"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," Barnhart tweeted. "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."

Kentucky fell 24-23 to Northwestern. After the game, Coyte explained his reasoning for ejecting Snell.

"The player got up and grabbed my arms and pushed them away and contacted me," Coyte said. "That's a foul."

Snell channeled his inner Marshawn Lynch in his postgame interview. Much like Lynch repeated, "I'm just here so I won't get fined," Snell repeated some version of "I gotta passion for the game" and "I like playing football.

"I gotta very strong passion for the game," Snell said in response to the first question about the call. "I don't feel like I did anything. I don't need help getting up."

And the subsequent four responses to questions were as follows:

"I gotta passion for the game. I like playing football."

"I like playing football."

"I like playing football."

"I got a strong passion for the game. I like playing football."

Joe Mussatto‏Verified account @joe_mussatto

Guess Benny Snell likes playing football.

[Hogwild]

Chris Coyte should be banned from working post season next year

[Qui Gon Jinn]

Chris Coyte should be banned from working post season next year

Entire season.  That was a terrible call and he made first contact.