FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Bret Bielema is certain his team won’t have another game officiated by umpire Stan Weihe after Saturday’s 49-30 loss to No. 1 Alabama.
Saturday wasn't Bielema's first run-in with Weihe, but it did result in a rare unsportsmanlike conduct on the coach after he went onto the field, nearly making it to the hash mark nearest the home sideline, in an effort to talk to Weihe after an Adam McFain field goal late in the second quarter. Weir's holding call on right tackle Brian Wallace negated a touchdown pass to Drew Morgan. Arkansas instead had to settle for the field goal, which only cut Alabama’s lead to 28-10.
Weihe was also the umpire in Arkansas’ 2014 loss to Texas A&M, a game that turned when a Dan Skipper tripping penalty negated a big Jonathan Williams gain to the Aggies’ 1-yard line with Arkansas leading 28-14 in the fourth quarter.
“I can be rest assured — and all Hog fans — we’ll never see that official again,” Bielema said Monday. “That’s been guaranteed to me. That makes my heart and my wife’s heart probably a little bit better.
“… That guy had been an official for us previously at A&M three (games) ago. They do a really good job of telling us what we’re supposed to do and how we’re supposed to do it. Unfortunately, I didn’t see eye-to-eye. I knew when I started walking, I ran the risk of what happened. But our players play really hard and I just wanted to have an explanation.”