Pat Hill’s not sayin’,
he’s just sayin’

The 2001 game against Hawaii at Aloha Stadium comes to mind, when an FSU defender unnecessarily clocked UH receiver Ashley Lelie for pass interference on fourth down, keeping alive the Warriors' game-winning drive.

Afterward, Hill blasted his team for its lack of self control.

He did not blame his guys' gray matter yesterday, though, when asked about the Bulldogs' 16 penalties for 155 yards in their 37-34 loss at Oregon on Saturday.

"I'm not saying it this time. We were not an undisciplined team," Hill said during the WAC teleconference.

"I'm never going to blame it on officiating."

Then, of course, he did.

Sure, he said the Ducks played well, but Hill also expressed about as much aloha for the Pac-10 crew that called the game as the Spartans of Michigan State felt for the WAC officials who flagged them down here last season.

"It was a hard-fought football game, a tough one to lose. The (Oregon) no-huddle was a great deal against us."

But the penalties?

"I'm not happy about it at all. ... There were some very, very big plays affected by penalties. Once it got to be 17-13 it was a green light for Oregon, (and) we were walking on eggshells ... worried about making a penalty. That's what happens when it's so one-sided.

"I just want to have consistency, that's all," he said.

Instant replay would not have changed the outcome of this game, but the system the Pac-10 uses does not allow coaches to challenge calls. The only league that does is the Mountain West.

"I'd love that," Hill said.

WAC commissioner Karl Benson is meeting with his colleagues from around the country this week to review how instant replay has gone so far. The NCAA could require it as early as next season, he said. The WAC decided to not implement instant replay in conference games this year.

Streamin': Benson said the WAC board has approved the launch of WAC.TV in November or December. Basketball will be the first sport for which video streaming subscriptions will be offered.

"My guess is we'll have some spring sports and some other winter sports," Benson said.

He's a pistol: Nevada coach Chris Ault has the early-season lead for best quotes. In July, the man who brought us the pistol formation and the gold zone described some of last year's Wolf Pack defenders as slow enough to drown in a car wash.

Yesterday he was asked if the players would be allowed to paint the Fremont Cannon (spoils of Saturday's 22-14 victory against rival UNLV) from red to blue.

"We've got it down to our paint shop. We don't want to give these guys anything more than crayons."

Hard core: San Jose State coach Dick Tomey had his non-starters scrimmage the day after the Spartans returned from a loss at Illinois.