COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Now, the Criticism Is Directed at Delany

This is how Indiana Coach Bill Mallory spent last Saturday:

Awoke at team hotel in Madison, Wis. . . . attended pregame meal . . . conducted team meeting . . . discussed last-minute strategy with assistant coaches . . . escorted team to charter buses for trip to Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium . . . waved goodby to players and coaches . . . drove to Madison airport and caught flight back home . . . dialed in satellite frequency for Hoosier-Badger game . . . watched team trail . . . stuck pins in Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany doll (just kidding) . . . watched team overcome Wisconsin lead and eventually win, 28-20. . . . Celebrated career victory No. 140, the first earned while sitting in living room.

This is how Mallory will spend Saturday’s home game against Minnesota:

On the Indiana sideline, on his best behavior, especially if anyone asks about the officiating.

Mallory, who was suspended for one game by Delany because he publicly criticized Big Ten officials after an Oct. 19 loss to Michigan, returns to work wiser, but no less sure of his original statements, that on occasion--most notably, the Hoosiers’ recent game against the Wolverines--the stench of Big Ten officiating can be smelled from Ann Arbor, Mich., to Bloomington, Ind.

Of course, Mallory didn’t use those exact words. Mallory is trying to keep a low profile this week, saying such things as: “I’m kind of in a tough position to comment about it.” Or: “I just want to get this thing buried.”

Mallory wasn’t so quiet last Tuesday during his weekly news conference. When asked about several questionable--if not blown--calls against the Hoosiers, Mallory fired away.

Here’s the one that probably did him in:

“That was a poor job (of officiating),” he said. “I’m not going to be muzzled on the situation. They’re quick to fine us or suspend us for a game. That kind of stuff, you can stick it. Players work too gosh-darned hard, coaches work too doggone-hard, and then for (the officials) to go in and slop around in a game like that--that’s just uncalled for. To sit back and accept it, I just can’t.”

As expected, it didn’t take long for a complete transcript of Mallory’s tirade to reach Delany’s desk. Armed with a new Big Ten policy on coaches’ conduct, Delany offered Mallory two choices--a $10,000 fine or a one-game suspension.

Mallory reluctantly picked the suspension.

Proponents of the conference’s rules of sportsmanship point out that Delany merely was enforcing a doctrine approved by the member schools and the coaches themselves. They add that Mallory was well aware of the tough policy and well versed in the proper (and private) channels used to voice complaints about the officiating. When he went public with his complaints, Mallory violated a trust.

“It’s been a matter of emphasis,” Illinois Coach John Mackovic said. “(The policy) is not unclear about what you can and cannot do.”

And this from Pacific 10 Conference Commissioner Tom Hansen, who has watched the Mallory incident from afar: “I don’t think (the punishment is) an inappropriate response at all. I think the coaches have to understand they cannot make a public statement. They have to understand that they can’t lose control and can’t let their players lose control.”

Still, Hansen said the Pac-10 prefers to hand out reprimands, private or public, to those coaches who rip officials. A suspension is an option, but fines are not.

Mallory isn’t without his supporters. Those who saw Indiana’s game against Michigan still can’t believe some of the major penalties assessed against the Hoosiers at critical moments. One Indiana athletic department administrator said Mallory was told by Dave Parry, the conference’s supervisor of football officials, that the crew’s performance left something to be desired.

Parry would know. He was at the game that week to observe and grade the officials’ work.

Fellow coaches have rallied around the well-respected Mallory. Michigan’s Gary Moeller said the one-game suspension was “too big of a penalty.” Michigan State’s George Perles called the $10,000 fine “very, very severe. I hope we have a chance to look at that again.” Ohio State’s John Cooper said: “As a coach, obviously, I don’t like (the rule).”

But the most passionate criticism of Delany’s decision came from Jim Walden, coach of Big Eight Conference member Iowa State.

“I think that hinges on idiocy,” he said of the penalty. “That is unbelievable. In this country, this world, we have gotten it screwed down so much that we put officials--guys who get paid--in a position that they’re never wrong. I don’t get that kind of protection. The President of the United States of America (doesn’t either).

“Whoever did that in the Big Ten, they need to get him in an institution and get him checked.”

Now that an NCAA special committee has recommended, among other things, that the organization’s enforcement procedure needs to join the 20th Century, it will be interesting to see how member institutions embrace the proposed changes.

Included in the committee’s 11 recommendations are three of major importance: (1) Open infractions hearings; (2) make use of summary disposition procedures (in essence, plea bargaining between the NCAA and those schools guilty of violating NCAA rules) and (3) reduce the time spent on certain cases.

The Pac-10’s Hansen, who testified before the special committee, said he favors speedier NCAA investigations and judicial procedures. As for open hearings and summary dispositions, Hansen says phooey on that.

“To me, the most dangerous (proposal) is early disposition,” he said. “If the institution can pull the covers over its problem, hide it without having to go through the investigative process, then that’s wrong. The best thing that can happen is that institution has to go through the NCAA process. If the problems are there, there should be exposure of the problems.”

And Hansen on open hearings: “I just think you’re going to restrict the flow of information if the public is in attendance. If this process is opened up, you’re throwing a large dose of cold water on the (committee’s) ability to do things.”

Meanwhile, Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne is cautiously in favor of the proposals.

“We were checked by the NCAA a few years ago,” he said. “I think generally it was an amicable situation, but I could see a lot of things that could be improved. It was almost like you had to prove your innocence. I felt that there were some changes in order.”

Before Mississippi State’s game against Texas early in September, Coach Jackie Sherrill gave each of his players tiny pieces of longhorn, reminding them what a nice memento each piece would make should the Bulldogs pull off the upset. Duly inspired, Mississippi State won.

Against Auburn last Saturday, Sherrill was more restrained, but the Bulldogs were not. They beat the Tigers, adding to Auburn Coach Pat Dye’s many woes.

Dye, whose program is under NCAA investigation for alleged payoffs, has a friend in Sherrill, who underwent similar scrutiny at Texas A&M.; “Yes, I empathize with him,” Sherrill said. “I think people have to understand what he’s going through is not good for the state of Alabama or Auburn.”

A footnote: After then-Georgia coach Vince Dooley turned down the Auburn job in 1981, Dye and Sherrill, then at Pittsburgh, became the leading candidates.

Surprise, the No. 2 passer in the country is Michigan’s Elvis Grbac, who gets to throw to Heisman Trophy front-runner Desmond Howard. “I think right now, Elvis is the best quarterback in the Big Ten,” said his coach, Gary Moeller. Take that Jason Verduzco of Illinois and Matt Rodgers of Iowa. . . . How big is Saturday’s Iowa-Ohio State game? Not very, said Iowa Coach Hayden Fry. “I don’t know if this ballgame has anything to do with the Rose Bowl,” he said. “You have to talk to Michigan (the only undefeated team in the conference) about that.” . . . Houston (2-5) has lost three centers to injuries and is forced to use Brad Whigham, who never played center until two weeks ago. The Cougars also have lost two starting guards--one was injured, another quit. It’s no wonder quarterback David Klingler was sacked 10 times by Texas A&M; last Saturday, bringing his season total to an alarming 32 in 5 1/2 games (he didn’t play in the second half against Arkansas and missed the SMU game because of a viral inner ear infection). That’s 17 more sacks than he’d endured at this time last season and eight more than his total for 1990. Not surprisingly, his passing efficiency has plummeted compared to last season--from 146.8 to 112.9.

Mark Barsotti is gone, but not forgotten. Sidelined the remainder of the regular season with a broken left leg, the Fresno State quarterback still is listed atop the nation’s leaders in passing efficiency. If all goes well, he could return in time for the Dec. 14 California Bowl. At 7-0 and ranked No. 25, the Bulldogs appear to be the logical favorites for the Big West Conference title and the automatic bowl invitation that goes with it.

If Barsotti’s leg doesn’t heal in time, Fresno State followers shouldn’t worry. In his place is redshirt freshman Trent Dilfer, whom Bulldog Coach Jim Sweeney predicts will be “the greatest player ever to play at Fresno State.” Sweeney would know. In last Saturday’s victory against UNLV, Dilfer was 13 of 18 for 173 yards and rushed for 58 yards and three touchdowns.

Just a thought, but considering the game’s locale and the fabled “luck of the Irish,” why would USC aim an onside kick toward the Notre Dame bench, where Irish players and coaches could scream, “Our ball! Our ball!” and try to intimidate the officials as they rummaged through the pile of bodies? Why not aim that kick at the USC bench? . . . With games remaining against Boston College, Rutgers and Penn State, Pittsburgh Coach Paul Hackett said it is time for the Panthers (5-3) to put up or shut up, adding: “We feel like we’ve got to make something happen or start looking to next year.” . . . How serious is Colorado Coach Bill McCartney about the growing rivalry between the Buffaloes and the Nebraska Cornhuskers? Well, several years ago, McCartney asked a Denver Post reporter not to bring her red pen to Colorado practices. Red, you see, is one of Nebraska’s team colors. McCartney was kidding. We think. . . . Iowa State’s Walden on his team’s offense, which hasn’t scored a touchdown in weeks: “It’s been so long, I forgot how it feels.” Iowa State tied Oklahoma State last Saturday, 6-6.

Top 10

As selected by Times staff writer Gene Wojciechowski

No. Team Record 1. Florida State 8-0 2. Washington 7-0 3. Miami 7-0 4. Michigan 6-1 5. Notre Dame 7-1 6. Penn State 7-2 7. Florida 6-1 8. Nebraska 6-1 9. California 6-1 10. Texas A&M; 5-1

Waiting list: Iowa (6-1), Alabama (6-1), Ohio State (6-1), Colorado (5-2), East Carolina (6-1).