KNOXVILLE - Key officiating decisions in back-to-back games have prompted first-year Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt to express curiosity publicly about refereeing protocols.
In the Volunteers' 14-3 win over Charlotte on Saturday at Neyland Stadium, it was a first-quarter targeting call on freshman cornerback Alontae Taylor that miffed Pruitt.
Officials ruled Taylor committed targeting when he dived to tackle sliding Charlotte quarterback Evan Shirreffs on the 49ers' second possession of the game. The offense earned Taylor an ejection for the second time in three games. He was ejected in the first half against Alabama three weeks ago for a violation of the same rule.
"I realize our officials have a tough job," Pruitt said. "I realize that. I have no idea if it was targeting or if it wasn't. But I obviously don't know what targeting is. I watched two games before I came over here, and they threw targeting fouls, and once they replayed them, they wasn't targeting fouls. I would have said both of them were."
It's the third time the Vols have lost a defensive starter for at least a half because of targeting this season. Junior linebacker Daniel Bituli missed the first half of the Alabama game after he was flagged for targeting in the fourth quarter of Tennessee's win over Auburn.
Bituli was familiar with the frustration Taylor experienced as he watched most of the game from the locker room.
"He's handling it really good," Bituli said. "He was the first one shaking our hands when we got back in the locker room, just staying positive and encouraging us and really looking like a leader out there as a young guy."
With defensive backs Micah Abernathy and Trevon Flowers out with injuries, junior cornerback Marquill Osborne played in Taylor's place and could be in line to play the first half when Kentucky visits Neyland Stadium this week.
In hindsight
The week before, it was a key ruling near the goal line in the 27-24 loss at South Carolina that spawned frustration on the Tennessee sideline. South Carolina running back Rico Dowdle appeared to fumble. Bituli emerged from a scrum with the football, but the Gamecocks retained possession and ended up scoring the tying touchdown.
The Times Free Press contacted Southeastern Conference supervisor of football officials Steve Shaw this past week after Pruitt suggested the league install end-zone cameras to consult during video reviews.
Regarding Pruitt's belief that the Gamecocks did indeed fumble on the play, Shaw responded by email: "For the play to be overturned, by rule there must be indisputable video evidence that two circumstances took place: (1) There was a fumble on the play and (2) there was a clear recovery of the loose ball in the immediate continuing football action.
"After review of all video evidence in the SEC Video Center Monday, including coaches' end-zone footage, it is clear that there was a fumble on the play, but there is no indisputable video evidence of clear recovery, so the play could not be overturned."
Because of Pruitt's lobbying for more cameras, the TFP also asked Shaw if that might be possible in the future. Shaw responded: "There have been changes and improvements to the replay process every year, and this is still an NCAA experimental rule, so we will continue to look for ways to improve the process."
Wood-Anderson helps
Junior tight end Dominick Wood-Anderson posted new career highs in receptions (three) and receiving yards (51) after missing the loss at South Carolina with a hamstring injury.
"I've just been working with the strength coach, the training staff to get back right, and right now I'm 100 percent," he said.
Wood-Anderson, a junior college transfer in his first season with the Vols after coming from Arizona Western College, helped set up Tennessee's only offensive touchdown when he hauled in a 33-yard pass from Jarrett Guarantano down the left sideline in the first quarter.
"It was great," Wood-Anderson said. "Shoutout to J.G. because he threw a great ball."
Chandler limited
No. 1 running back Ty Chandler carried twice for minus-1 yard and had no receptions as he wore a brace on his left knee after appearing to injure the knee against South Carolina.
"Ty is a little banged up, so we really wanted to look at him as a game-time decision," Pruitt said. "He practiced one day or maybe a little bit two days, so we're just trying to get him back out there. If he could have played more, we would have played him more."
Liberty interest
Representatives from the Liberty Bowl distributed flyers throughout the press box before Saturday's game. The Liberty Bowl is set for Dec. 31 in Memphis and pits an SEC team against a Big 12 team. Tennessee has not played in the Liberty Bowl since 1986.
Contact David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidWCobb and on Facebook at facebook.com/volsupdate. Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.