Double overtime, third-and-21, a potential game-tying touchdown pass from Ashton Daniels to Micahi Danzy against No. 3 Miami, and then… a yellow flag. That’s how Florida State’s Week 7 ended, with a holding call on Xavier Chaplin wiping out what could’ve been an all-time play.
Norvell Calls It How He Sees It
Coach Mike Norvell didn’t mince words speaking to the media on Monday, even after a couple days to sleep on it. He called that holding call, straight up, “absolutely terrible.” Norvell even talked to Gary Patterson, the head of officials, about it, but hasn’t heard the final review yet. You can feel the frustration. He said it’s a “shame” that the kids couldn’t “go finish the game on the field in that moment.” And he’s got a point, right? When it’s that late, that crucial, you want the players to decide it. Norvell also mentioned the “same thing happened a few plays earlier that was not called,” adding another layer to the officiating frustration.
The “Snatch-and-Trap” Debate
So, what was the call about? It was flagged on offensive lineman Xavier Chaplin for using a “snatch-and-trap” technique. This isn’t some rogue move; it’s a technique regularly taught to offensive linemen. The idea is to get your hands inside on a bull rush, disengage, then rip down on the defender’s arm to throw them off balance. Norvell argues Chaplin executed it perfectly, clean as a whistle. But here’s the kicker: this technique, while often going uncalled, has been flagged in some high-profile spots recently.
Offensive linemen swear it’s within the rules, especially since the hands stay inside. The problem? When defenders get lurched to the ground, it *looks* like a hold, even if the technique itself is divisive. Holds are usually for when a lineman loses leverage and a defender gets *outside* their body. When Chaplin uses it on the opposing lineman’s arms, it sure seems within the rules. But the larger debate is whether grabbing and ripping downward with the jersey, which sometimes officials see with the other arm, should be called. The particularly frustrating part for coaches like Norvell is that this is a coached technique that Chaplin executed, and it regularly goes uncalled, which is why, when it does get flagged, especially in a high-leverage spot, it causes controversy.
The whole thing leaves a sour taste, especially when a coached technique, executed cleanly, gets flagged in such a critical moment. It’s the kind of call that leaves coaches and fans alike screaming at their screens, wondering why consistency is so elusive.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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