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Anyone else think that Smith's hit on Sharon in the end zone was illegal? Anyone think it was a clean shot?

Some of the Huskie fans on the MAC board feel not only was it clean, but if it was illegal, it still sent a message to the BG WR's.


From everything I've seen, it was a shot to the head...period. Am I wrong?
We're being accused of "whining" and "unable to take hits".

BEAT TEMPLE!!

It was a direct shot to the head. Did it send a message? Yeah, that they can cheap shot you. But it was our defense that killed us.

Uhhh, the refereree threw a flag and they called a penalty. To me, that makes it illegal, whether you think it was or not.

If hockey penalties are at all related, they always call you for a penalty whenever you leave your feet to make that type of body check. The DB jumped into Sharon and that was the reason he hit him in the head.

I don't think the player had any intent on butting heads as that could have injured him as well, but it without a doubt a penalty and was called properly.

To be honest, a solid hit flush to the chest would probably have done more damage to Chuck.

As far as sending a message, that had nothing to do with having six men on the line of scrimmage, false starting, tackling a midget, or a TD call that should have been a touchback and ball turned over to BG.

Freak:

Illegal, plain and simple. Defenseless receiver, shot to the head. Penalty.

Did it send a message? Well, all hits send a message. The issue is how you handle it as a player. If you think about it, you'll flinch the next time, maybe drop the ball, maybe never get to the ball.

It was illegal and it was not the only such hit. Hard to tell for sure, but due to the amount of dropped passes or lack of effort to make a few catches, it could have made a difference. A few extra catches, along with the fumble called on the TD that never was, and momentum might have turned back. It should never have been tied at the half.

NIU's db's were physical. Bg's secondary could actually learn from what happended our recievers. Our secondary needs to be more physical for sure. No head butting needed.

falconboy

I definitely think that hit to the head was completely uncalled for. He could have tackled Charles without hitting him in the head. I'm just glad that Charles had the good sense to jsut get up and walk away and not return the favor, some players would have wanted to retaliate but Sharon showed class and walked away.

Not only did he leave his feet to hit him, but the ball was already sailing past Sharon when he did it. NIU did a lot of this crap in 2002 as well.
Didn't see much of it last year though. Probably because they clouldnt catch our WR's to hit them in the first place.m

Thanks to technology, I just looked at this play again and again. And again.
0-0 1st Qtr 11:43
Ball on Huskie 21 yd line

I believe the following are factual:

1. Jacobs threw high and left Sharon extremely vulnerable.
2. Smith shoulder pad to Sharon neck area.
3. Smith leaped to elevate.

Point #3 troubles me. Truthfully, that can't be defended by an honest NIU fan.
Is Smith a "dirty" player?
He doesn't have that reputation. He didn't spear with his helmet.

Then I looked at the game "situation" at the time of the penalty.
That would have been a real stupid time to take a personal foul, right?

Also, I agree with Redwingtom. If Smith would have stayed on his feet and been running at full speed and then shot... that could have been real ugly.
Even for a tough WR like Sharon.

If NIU plays at Doyt next year, it's probably fair to say Smith will not be warmly received.

Anyway, I appreciate conversing with you all.
I stopped by at your Alumni tent and only had the pleasure of meeting one of you AZZ's.

Nobody asked me but for what it's worth I prefer the white falcon helmet that is displayed on this board.
Good luck next weekend.
niucob86

I think they did intimidate us physically.

I'll say it again - it was a bad call. Smith wasn't going for his head and he did not lead with his head. He was trying to separate the ball from the man, not tackle him. That's what safeties do - Ronnie Lott would have been proud.

He jumped to contact the WR high, as the WR was also jumping at the pass and it would have been caught high. If he undercut him, he easily could have broken some ribs. Instead, he hit him with his shoulder in his upper chest/shoulder, NOT HIS HEAD.

As a football fan, I expect that legal hit to be made my safeties as often as possible. It lets you know that if you're going to run a play like that, heading directly towards the safety in the middle of the field, you are going to have to hold onto it.

Two years ago, Justin Dole made at least 3 huge hits. One was perfectly legal on a late TD by Redd, but it was crushing. Earlier, he managed to get away with a blatant facemask (illegal, and I have no idea how the ref did not see it at all). At another point, he was running away from the QB (and the pass) towards a WR - the ball was badly overthrown, but he did not see where the ball ended up and hit the WR. He was properly flagged, though I did not see any intent.

We're a physical D. We're not a cheap shotting D. But we will hit you. And no, in '03 we were too busy chasing your guys to hit them. That would be the way to avoid getting the snot knocked out of you. Honestly, I thought you Ohio people were supposed to be big football fans....

HuskieDan wrote:I'll say it again - it was a bad call. Smith wasn't going for his head and he did not lead with his head. He was trying to separate the ball from the man, not tackle him. That's what safeties do - Ronnie Lott would have been proud.

Basically, officials have the "unnecessary roughness" rule at their disposal for cases just like this.

Player intent doesn't need to enter into the equation. The only thing that matters is did the player use unnecesary force against a defenseless player? In many cases it will prevent escalation an retaliatory hits by the opponent.

The play in question could have gone either way. If it hadn't been called, we wouldn't be going back to it today. The fact that it was called, doesn't make it a cheap-shot, or indict either the player or the NIU program. The hit was done in the heat of the moment, but it was a perfectly acceptable call.

I took and Athletic Training class where we watched a video tape of football players making illegal hits. Very intense, very sad experience.
A lot of players died before they decided to make any type of rule about it. And guess what...it still happens.
So, I think that calling an illegal hit is a serious and appropriate thing. Even if it's close, it's serious. It for the safety of the players.