‘I’m Not Sure How Many People Were Watching’ — ESPN’s Paul Finebaum Identifies Broadcasters Targeted by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey in Officiating Rant

Paul Finebaum identified Aaron Murray as the primary target of SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey’s criticism of college football announcers.

Sankey had taken issue with broadcasters publicly second-guessing officiating decisions without naming anyone, and Finebaum later said Murray was the commentator he had in mind.

Paul Finebaum Names Aaron Murray as Greg Sankey’s Target

Sankey made the comments during a Nov. 9 appearance on “The Paul Finebaum Show.” Without identifying anyone by name, he criticized television announcers for second-guessing officials and described some of them as “some of the worst officials in America.”

Finebaum later addressed the comments during an appearance on Jimmy Traina’s “Traina Thoughts” podcast and explained who he believed Sankey had been referring to.

Sankey’s comments followed Saturday’s Oklahoma-Florida game, during which Murray, a former Georgia quarterback and current SEC Network analyst, discussed controversial officiating decisions from Texas’ 34-20 win over Missouri earlier in the day.

Murray was working alongside Matt Schumacker when he revisited the calls from the afternoon matchup.

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According to a report by CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello, Sankey’s criticism was primarily directed at Murray.

“He was talking specifically about a comment made by Aaron Murray, former Georgia quarterback, during the Oklahoma-Florida game,” Finebaum said. “It was on the SEC Network at the same time as Georgia-Ole Miss and Notre Dame-Miami. I’m not sure how many people were watching. I’m sure we could look it up. He was talking about the Missouri-Texas game, which was the big controversial game.”

Sankey had alluded to Murray’s comments without mentioning him directly. He questioned why an announcer covering a Saturday night game would criticize officiating from a noon kickoff without first contacting the conference office.

“But somebody on a Saturday night who’s announcing a game between Oklahoma and Florida, going back to something that happened at noon that he’s never called and asked a question about, and being critical is unacceptable in my mind,” Sankey said.

The Texas-Missouri game featured several disputed replay decisions that drew criticism from Missouri and its supporters. One of the most significant came in the third quarter, when officials ruled that Texas quarterback Arch Manning had fumbled while being hit, and Texas recovered the loose ball 14 yards downfield for a first down.

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ESPN’s broadcast team of Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, and rules analyst Steve Shaw also discussed the decisions. Palmer said Missouri fans had reason to be frustrated with the replay reviews.

After the game, Missouri athletic director Laird Veatch released an open letter calling for greater transparency in the SEC’s replay process and said the school would advocate for changes this offseason.

Finebaum also identified ESPN play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough as another broadcaster who may have been the subject of Sankey’s criticism.

He connected McDonough’s comments to Saturday’s Georgia-Ole Miss broadcast. The veteran announcer has frequently questioned officiating decisions during college football games, including during the two programs’ meeting in last season’s Sugar Bowl quarterfinal.

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Finebaum acknowledged McDonough’s willingness to openly criticize officials and said it was one of the reasons he enjoyed his work.

“Now McDonough is the unicorn here,” Finebaum said. “He will say anything about anybody at any time, which is why he’s one of my favorite broadcasters.”

Sankey also addressed the possibility of making the SEC’s replay process more transparent during his appearance on Monday. He said the conference is exploring ways to provide greater access to replay discussions, including live audio, an option already available in the ACC and Big 12.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.