I’ve heard this line of thinking over and over again, but we can thank our lucky stars we stopped the circus play at the end of the game.

Here is the relevant rule (9-2-1(b)) with the stated penalty:

Rule 9-2-1(b): “During the game, coaches, squad members, and authorized attendants in the team area may not be on the field of play or outside the 20-yard lines to protest an officiating decision or to communicate with players or officials without permission from the referee.”

PENALTY [1-4] — Unsportsmanlike conduct. Dead-ball foul. 15 yards from the succeeding spot…

So, even though this occurred during a live ball, it would have been treated as a dead-ball penalty and would have had no impact on the game.

In the end, we got the best possible outcome, capped off by the immortal words of the ref:

“Unsportsmanlike conduct on the Utah bench. The game is over.”