Mizzou AD posts letter advocating for change in SEC replay booth transparency

In an open letter to fans after several controversial rulings and officiating decisions in Mizzou's Nov. 7 loss to Texas in Columbia, Missouri athletic director Laird Veatch published an open letter to fans Monday advocating for change in the transparency of the Southeastern Conference 's replay review protocols.

The Mizzou AD also said the university "requested a formal review and response from the SEC" but, in line with conference expectations, will not publicize the contents of its conversations.

With a little more than two minutes remaining in the third quarter of Mizzou's 34-20 loss to Texas on Saturday, Texas quarterback Arch Manning was ruled to have fumbled on a third-and-10 play. The ball vaulted 14 yards past the line of scrimmage, and UT receiver Emmett Mosley V picked it up a while after it came to rest.

Because the play was ruled a fumble and not a forward pass, and because Texas picked it up, the Longhorns picked up a first down. Three plays later, Manning found wide receiver Jermaine Bishop Jr. on a third-down, 25-yard touchdown throw, sparking a game-ending 21-0 run to down the Tigers .

In his letter Monday to Mizzou fans, Veatch did not criticize any decisions made on the field or in the replay booth in Saturday's game.

The Tigers were on the wrong end of several reviewed decisions in addition to the fumble/forward pass ruling, including an overturned catch for wide receiver Cayden Lee in the third quarter, a catch from Donovan Olugbode along the sideline in the first quarter, and a potential intentional grounding ruling on Manning.

"To be clear, I don't believe in blaming or complaining about officiating," Veatch wrote in the letter. "Officials are human, and mistakes are part of the game. Coaches and players have to respond to those moments and find ways to overcome adversity. That is why I greatly respect and appreciate how Coach Drinkwitz handled his postgame response with the media and his team."

Instead, Mizzou, its athletic director and university president are asking for the SEC to consider making a change that has become common in other conferences: Providing live audio or video from its replay booth.

"After the game Saturday, we requested a formal review and response from the SEC regarding the officiating," Veatch wrote. "Consistent with SEC expectations, we will not make those conversations or responses public, other than that we have not received anything inconsistent with what the conference has already shared publicly.

"This experience has reinforced my belief that our lack of transparency in the replay booth, particularly when other conferences have taken steps to provide it, allows for an environment of speculation and mistrust. Together with President Choi, we will be strong advocates for that change within the SEC this offseason."

The SEC is the only Power conference that does not air live video or audio from its replay booth. The Big Ten and Big 12 began doing so this season, and the ACC began airing conversations about officiating decisions in 2025.

The SEC also does not allow for a designated pool reporter to ask questions to officials after controversial decisions, which is common in professional leagues.

When reached for comment by the Columbia Daily Tribune on Saturday after the game, the SEC provided the following statement on the fumble ruling.

"The ruling on the field was a fumble," an SEC official wrote in an e-mail to the Tribune. "In replay review it was determined there was not clear and obvious video evidence that he had firm control of the ball when the hand intentionally started forward in order to overturn the call."

Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz and MU's players did not criticize the officials or any decisions in postgame media availability.

"If I say what I want to say, I'm going to get fined until I don't have any retirement, and I'm not going to do that because I'm not going to blame the officials," Drinkwitz said Saturday. "That'd be disrespectful to Coach Sark and his team."

Veatch complimented Drinkwitz for how he handled his postgame comments in the open letter to fans.

Missouri (6-3, 3-3 SEC) has three games left in the regular season, beginning with a trip to face newly No. 1-ranked Georgia on Saturday, Nov. 14 in Athens, Georgia.

The Tigers will then face Kentucky and Oklahoma in back-to-back weeks on Faurot Field to finish the regular season.

"It's OK to acknowledge that Saturday hurt," Veatch wrote. "In fact, our collective frustration and disappointment is evidence of how high our program expectations have elevated.

"Now let's turn our attention to Georgia and the opportunities ahead, including two huge home games against Kentucky and Oklahoma. Our coaches and players deserve our support, and I know this fan base will continue to show up with the passion and pride that make Saturdays in CoMo so special."