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Alexandria native, longtime SEC official Bobby Moreau calls it a career on the field

By John Marcase
Special to The Town Talk

Bobby Moreau has been on both ends of the football spectrum.

He's been adored by thousands as a standout quarterback, first at Alexandria Senior High in the early 1970s, and later at LSU. He's been booed by thousands as an official in the SEC, officiated a national football championship game, and, unfortunately, been suspended following a controversial ending to a Florida-Tennessee football game many, many years ago.

It’s been a good run.

But for the first time in 26 seasons, Moreau won't be in uniform when the SEC's 2018 season kicks off on Labor Day weekend. "I'm leaving the field," said Moreau last week. "That's been my plan. I wanted to get in 25 years. I've been planning for this the last 5-6 years. My knees are wearing out, and the aches and pains linger into Thursday and Friday and then start over on Saturday.

"It's time to give other guys a chance. There are good high school officials and small college officials who never get a chance."

That's just not lip service from Moreau. It's how he broke into SEC officiating.

The younger brother of longtime Alexandria-Pineville coach and administrator Joe Moreau, Bobby began officiating in 1985 in the Hammond area, where he was teaching.
"Jackie Vaughn, who was a local official in Hammond, spoke to our meeting one night," said Bobby. "He said, 'If you are going to do it, aspire to the highest level.' I followed his guideline. After 4 or 5 years, I got invited to some college scrimmages, and I did the LSU spring scrimmage."

Prior to the 1992 season, Moreau got the call he was being hired by the SEC. He made the most of his opportunity. In 2000, he worked Florida State's 46-29 Sugar Bowl victory over Virginia Tech to win the national championship. Moreau would go on to call seven SEC Championship games and 21 post-season bowls, including this past season's Orange Bowl between Miami and Wisconsin. 

There is an old saying the best officiated games are ones in which you don't notice the men and women wearing the stripes. When you know who the officials are, you also know there has been some controversy. Moreau discovered this first-hand.

"I only had one day where I thought I would be fired," he admitted. The one day was the 2004 Florida-Tennessee game, which was played in Knoxville. A close game between the two bitter rivals ended in controversial fashion. 

Florida was leading, 28-27, with 1:13 remaining. Florida was trying to run out the clock and faced a third down. At the conclusion of the play, and away from the ball, Tennessee's Jonathan Wade swatted at Florida receiver Dallas Baker, who retaliated. All of this happened in front of Moreau, who flagged Baker, but not Wade. The 15-yard penalty allowed Tennessee to have good field position following Florida's punt. 

In addition, the head referee, Penn Wagers, neglected to start the game clock after the Baker penalty. In the end, Tennessee kicked a game-winning 50-yard field goal with six seconds remaining.  

"The whole crew got suspended," noted Moreau.

Despite that one game, Moreau said he rarely had any negative interaction with the league's coaches, including Alabama's Nick Saban, who has been known to erupt a time or two at his players or coaching staff.

"Most are pretty good," said Moreau, who as a side judge, was an easy target for the coaches. "I've never had a major run-in with any of them.

"Nowadays, coaches will scrutinize officials in research. A lot of them keep statistics on officials. It's just part of the game."

One team Moreau never officiated during the regular season was LSU. "Just the thought you're an LSU guy and biased one way or another" disqualifies you, he said.

Moreau recovered from the suspension and called many top-tier bowl games since. The reason he didn’t call any additional national title games wasn’t based on his performance, but rather the performance of the SEC as it has won 10 national titles in the past 15 seasons. An SEC officiating crew is not allowed to call a championship game involving an SEC school.

Moreau spent the vast majority of his officiating career based in Greenville, S.C. He and his wife still reside in the area, and he now serves as athletics director at the Prince of Peace Catholic School in Taylors, S.C.

"I'm the last SEC official in South Carolina," Moreau said. "I've been the only one for a few years. The conference would probably like to have a couple represent South Carolina."

That could be one of the reasons why, along with his experience, Moreau may remain affiliated with the SEC. He will meet with Steve Shaw, the SEC's Coordinator of Football Officiating, prior to the start of the 2018 season to discuss a role going forward, whether in training or the replay booth.

If nothing else, Moreau is leaving on a high note. He is the most recent recipient of the Ed Dudley-Bobby Gaston Spirit of Officiating Award, which is given annually to an SEC official. Dudley was a former official, while Gaston is a former SEC Supervisor of Officials.

"It is awarded to the most respected and most approachable official,” said Moreau. "It started in the mid-90s and is given out each year. I was blessed to receive it this year. It was very emotional to receive it because it is your peers who vote on it. "… Receiving that award, it meant a lot."

It has been an emotional couple of years for Moreau as the end of his officiating career neared its conclusion. When asked his favorite memory of his career, he didn't have to think long. It came in the 2016 regular-season finale in Athens as Georgia hosted rival Georgia Tech.

"I was able to have my granddaughter, who was 3, there and I got to take her onto the field," he said. 

John Marcase is a former assistant managing editor and sports editor of The Town Talk. He writes a weekly column.