Suspension possible for Bama player for hit on Georgia QB Aaron Murray
ATHENS — Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity confirmed Monday the Bulldogs have asked the SEC to review the legality of a hit on Aaron Murray that required him to be helped off the field shortly before halftime in the SEC Championship game. But they need not have bothered; the league office is already looking into it.
Alabama defensive lineman Quinton Dial hit Murray with a above-the-shoulder, helmet-to-helmet strike after Murray threw an interception at the 1:15 mark of the second quarter. Crimson Tide defensive back Ha-Sean Clinton-Dix was in the midst of a 35-yard return when the 304-pound Dial left his feet and made contact with the side of Murray’s helmet toward the end of the play. Murray was out of the play and not in position to make the tackle.
McGarity said he was “stunned” when he saw the replay of the Dial’s hit — he missed it during live-game-action — and immediately moved to make sure the play was going to be reviewed.
“I actually didn’t see the hit until I saw it on YouTube (Sunday),” McGarity said of SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. “It is definitely a play we will submit for review, but I’m sure that’s already being done. “I’m anxious to see what (SEC Commissioner Mike Slive) says about it.”
Steve Shaw, the SEC’s coordinator of officials, has already reviewed the play and determined that Saturday’s referees “missed the call.”
“By rule, you can’t hit a defenseless player above the shoulders,” Shaw told The Birmingham News. “What the determination needs to be is was this a defenseless player and was contact initiated above the shoulders? When we go through video review of it, that’s what we’ll have to determine. And then you as you break it down, did he lead with the head or lead with the shoulder? From game action, it was a personal foul regardless of how we break it down frame by frame.”
That would not have changed the ultimate outcome of the play. Alabama would have retained possession as the personal foul would have occurred well after the interception. But it would have backed it up 15 yards from the point of contact, which was near midfield.
Above-the-shoulders hits and “targeting” defenseless players have been a point of emphasis for the SEC this season and for all of football as the dangers of concussions have become better known. Slive suspended two players — Ole Miss defensive back Trae Elston and South Carolina safety D.J. Swearinger – for one game each for such hits earlier this season. Dial will face the same fate, and the Crimson Tide’s next game is the BCS national championship.
NCAA rules mandate that conference offices review any flagrant personal foul or targeting for possible future punishment, whether a penalty was called on the field or not.
“We do want to stand up for our players when they are in serious danger of being injured,” McGarity said. “This is a case where it could have had serious implications on Aaron, not only in that game but in future games.”
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1,117 comments Add your comment
23 SEC Titles
December 3rd, 2012
3:44 pm
How about the Jawja player sticking his fingers in Dee Milliners eyes after the kick return. Very evident on you tube. Dials hit was a penalty and missed. Stop crying, you lost get over it and say congrads to all those Bama boys from Ga wearing those new SEC CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS……..
You missed out M Mitchell, J Jenkins……….
sickdog
December 3rd, 2012
3:44 pm
No you are the SCUM….!!! Uga the dirtiest thugs?? WHat? Your an idiot!! Every team has thugs!! Noone is saying we lost because of that hit. We just want it t be called fair. they called the play on us earlier in the game in which we paid for But nothing was done about that hit against Murray. Which was helmet to helmet….AL has had there share of trouble punk!!! Remember the NCAA suspensions several years ago? I saw alot of holding on by Al’s O-line in the game also. True we lost…and i blame poor play calling by the coaches imho. You dont know Mark RIcht personally you idiot so how are you going to bash his Christianity…your talking out your butt. Typical Bama fan.
King Here-Chuck Oliver
December 3rd, 2012
3:44 pm
ALABAMA CHEATED THE WHOLE GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CMR RICHT HAS NO CONTROL OVER HER TEAM. AND YES, I DID SAY HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TECH WILL BE IN A BCS NEXT YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
KING HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DCB
December 3rd, 2012
3:44 pm
I notice the little crysbaby is isn’t asking for the body slams by Oogletree and Jones in the Tech game to be reviewed.
Brandon Spikes
December 3rd, 2012
3:44 pm
Guht one Gary.
dawgjohn
December 3rd, 2012
3:45 pm
Nah, You see numnutts I will be pulling for the tide…….how pitiful does it get……………..definition – Bammer Bam Bam Bammer……………..lol
crimson 1
December 3rd, 2012
3:45 pm
Talk about class. Really Georgia fans. Because your quarterback was knocked on his ass, its suddenly becomes a issue of Bama being a dirty team. I saw some bodyslams by Georgia players and no one complained. Eye poking. No suspensions mention. Its a grown man’s game. Learn how to play it.
Horned Frog
December 3rd, 2012
3:45 pm
These kind of situations always bring out the defenders (Bama fans) versus the accusers (UGA fans) as both fan bases are genetically engineered to have their guy’s back, but if you look at it objectively it was “unnecessary” at the very least. In the NFL, that shot is $50,000 and at least a 1 game suspension.
DawgFanInBama
December 3rd, 2012
3:46 pm
Why are there so many Alabama fans posting on here? Jeez, you guys are just a bunch of classless losers…Just like the rest of the Alabama fan base. I live in Birmingham, and it is embarassing to watch how some of these people act. People make fun of UGA fans for the “bark”? Have you ever heard 15 drunk rednecks in the middle of a restaurant start to scream “Row’ Tiii”???
Congrats. You guys won. Your players made an incredibly dirty hit on Murray. End of story.
Though, I do think that the two thugs on Georgias specials teams (#2 from the video above and maybe #44…?) should be suspended, if not kicked off the team. Most of the penalties called during the game was from the special teams players. A bunch of no name thugs that don’t know how to play the game right. What kind of person pokes someone in the eye like that? That video makes me sick and embarassed to be a UGA fan. I would boot him off the team for that garbage.
Zebra
December 3rd, 2012
3:47 pm
King Here-Chuck Oliver-ah, a butthurt Techie. I get it now. Time to get to your math homework, son.
King Here-Chuck Oliver
December 3rd, 2012
3:47 pm
YOU PUPPIES GET OVER IT. YOU TURDS LOST SO STOP YOU CRYING AND ENJOY THE LOSER BOWL.
KING HERE
dawgjohn
December 3rd, 2012
3:48 pm
Its 3:45 goofy. go listen to the joke of the south………….the paul finebaum show…………and tell your sister Tammy that im sorry
King Here-Chuck Oliver
December 3rd, 2012
3:49 pm
That is funny zebra, I will go get my homework done while you finished getting tea bagged.
KING HERE
Concerned
December 3rd, 2012
3:49 pm
My feedback on questions asked or implied by reporters talking to Coach Mark Richt at the SEC Championship post game interview, some reporters just are dumb idiots, as well nice word “butt holes”. I have really liked the AJC staff sport writers, and thank you for your coverages, but there are some in your industry that are worse than bottom feeders, and one day someone will lose there jobs over kicking one of these SOB’ ass. Enough said
Bob
December 3rd, 2012
3:49 pm
Wow, the comments from the ‘bama fans here show two things.
1 – they know Georgia was the better team and have to make raving statements to try to prove otherwise, despite the reporting by the media that loves ‘bama that the officiated was bad and was bad in the favor of the Tide. And yes, it would have been a 14 point victory without the bad officiated, but it would have been a 14 point victory for the Dawgs.
2- the ignorance and hatred in the comments of the Tide fans shows that Alabama fans are full of ignorance and hatred. (Yes the rest of the country, your stereotype impression of people from Alabama is correct)
dawgjohn
December 3rd, 2012
3:50 pm
Ahhhh Crimson…is your little feelings hurt
navy92
December 3rd, 2012
3:52 pm
I wonder if he asked the SEC office to review the play where Ogletree body slammed the guy from GA Tech. You know, the play where he could have seriously injured the guy’s neck………..the one on the Georgia scout site entitled Piledriving…………http://georgia.scout.com/2/1243324.html
Wow McGarity, taking the loss kind of hard aren’t you.
bystander
December 3rd, 2012
3:54 pm
He’ll be suspended … for a game against a FCS team next year.
LakeDawg
December 3rd, 2012
3:55 pm
Ogletree hit on AJ was not a penalty. No helmet to helmet. What is Ogletree supposed to do? Stop and let him just stand there waiting for someone to eventually get open? Bama got most of the calls. But that’s just par for the course. They’re the golden child of SEC football.
Bammer
December 3rd, 2012
3:55 pm
Bob…UGA was the better team? Bama had 512 total yds to UGA 394 and a 15 MINUTE time of possession advantage. Now, UGA played a great game and could have won…but they were not the better team so go take your meds. And it’s ALWAYS the officials are against you huh? Except when you win? Intersting how that ALWAYS plays out with UGA.
Just No.
December 3rd, 2012
3:55 pm
Bob,
I am not even an Alabama fan and I strongly disagree. Alabama played good quality football. They don’t have a lot of screw ups and, in general, are very well coached. If UGA did the SAME hit on McCarron and it wasn’t called, this board would look the same exact way except it’d be Bama fans doing the complaining. And wow UGA was the better team? 360 yards rushing and somehow UGA is the better team? Both teams played extremely well but I don’t see the logic in saying UGA was the better team
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
3:56 pm
Murray wasn’t defenseless on the play. He was an eligible tackler who was moving towards the ball carrier. He was blocked from the front. The play was legal and nobody is getting suspended. UGA needs to quit crying about it. If you don’t want your guy to get clocked then tell him to lay down after he throws interceptions.
King Here-Chuck Oliver
December 3rd, 2012
3:56 pm
YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT NAVY92.
dawgjohn
December 3rd, 2012
3:57 pm
Navy, You talk about someone’s Mama and that is what happens. Big Boys…They are not complaining!
HYPOCRITEDAWGS
December 3rd, 2012
3:58 pm
You sorry whining crybaby dawgs fans !!!!!!!!!
How stinking soon you forget your game with Georgia Southern, you tackled Southern players by the helmet, one of your backs tackled a runner by using a forearm to the throat and then for good measure you also stopped a runner, picked him up and body slammed him on the back of his neck !
You are the single most piss poor, whining crybabies that ever put on a jock strap.
What a bunch of losers, I suppose you didn’t have any cheap shots called for hitting Alabama’s quarterback??
It’s no wonder people can’t stand your butt sniffing, vomit eating, leg humping team.
What a sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry bunch of losers.
GeoffDawg
December 3rd, 2012
3:58 pm
Good Lord, I’m shocked at the reaction of Bama fans over this. This is the epitome of being a sore winner. What you can’t dispute is that 1) it was dirty and illegal and 2) it doesn’t change a dang thing. Georgia’s plays were flagged and Bama’s weren’t – 8 penalties to 2. It’s a rough and at a times vicious game but own up to your mistakes, learn from them and move on. Stop your pointless whining and go try to represent the SEC with class against the Irish. You guys almost make Auburn fans look lucid.
TEXAS DAWG
December 3rd, 2012
3:58 pm
For all you BAMA fans, when Ogletree hit your QB with a much less blatant head shot, he has flagged for a personal foul. Face it, the refs just flat out blew the call when Murray got hit with a cheap shot. It was not even a continuation of a play like Ogletree.
crimson 1
December 3rd, 2012
3:58 pm
@dawgjohn-you make me laugh. I love to see you whimpering puppies complain about an butt whooping. Some day I hope you can beat your chest and know you are the best. Now go crawl back into the dawg house tic mobile.
daddo
December 3rd, 2012
3:58 pm
Whoops, there goes Lacey again. Get over it, u chicken chasing clay eaters.
Bammer
December 3rd, 2012
3:58 pm
And LakeDawg chimes in with more conspiracy theories. Man, if so many groups weren’t against ya’ll (officials, SEC office, NCAA, ESPN) you guys would have won every title since 1980!
And Ogletree’s helmet hit AJ under the chin…that counts as helmet to helmet. What gives on Dawson’s eyepoke? Milliner have an eyelash that needed to be wiped away?
Music City Dawg
December 3rd, 2012
3:59 pm
Look. The bama a$$hat gets it wrong. SEC head of officials disagrees with you. Shocker. Count Dial out for your bowl game. The SEC Championship is all that matters. The BS bowls are irrelevent. UGA lost what could have been their 3rd SEC Title in a decade. Bama won their 2nd in a decade. Congrats.
Dave
December 3rd, 2012
3:59 pm
2 years ago it was the hit by Nick Fairley, now this. WHAAAAAAAAA. Anyone who watched the game could see that Alabama was the better team and would beat UGA 9 times out of 10. You don’t give up 350 yards rushing and ever think you are the better team….seriously. As far as penalties, UA came in the game one of the least penalized in the SEC and UGA came in one of the highest penalized teams, go figure who would get the most penalties. Good coaching nixes penalties.
Noman
December 3rd, 2012
3:59 pm
I want the replacement refs for college. You cannot make me believe the refs do not determine the outcome of games. If the media picks a winner then the refs makes sure they get the good calls. If the ref did not see Murray get hit then he should not be on the field making calls. If you think the position of the ball would not make a difference then you are as blind or at least as not caring as the ref.
dawgjohn
December 3rd, 2012
4:01 pm
GTBob…………hahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahah………so that’s what happened………..You guys all got on the ground and let us play by ourselves……….hahahahahahaha ….just thank our Coach that we didn’t score a hundred against you………you know it and so do i………….the ga players are not complaining………Murray maned up and played a game that your QB is not capable of playing now or ever………6-7……pathetic……..and had to petition for a bowl exception……..give us a break……..well, i guess it could have been worse………….sorry for what i said……..im so proud of the N. Ave Trade School going to a bowel game
ARdawg
December 3rd, 2012
4:02 pm
It was just one of a number of no calls. That one was overly flagrant. What perturbed me is that there is no way the umpire misses that one right in his face. The sound of it resonated off of the tv
HYPOCRITEDAWGS
December 3rd, 2012
4:02 pm
Your best bet would have been to encourage Bama to knock that little whining punk Murray out of the game so you could try next years quarterback instead of the crybaby.
Did you notice how your almost hero punked out his receiver for catching the ball?????
What a teammate ! Murray, you threw it what did you expect him to do with it?????
Your team supposedly had 9 NFL future players and now you resort to whining and crying to the league????????
Go grow a set, so you can set around licking them like dawgs do or better yet go lick each others cause dawgs do that as well.
Mountain Dawg
December 3rd, 2012
4:02 pm
Anyone who thinks the hit on Murry was not a flagrant must live in Al. The worst part was the replay shows the nearest ref looking at the entire episode. There was no missed call, for whatever reason, he chose not to call it. For all you non knowing the SEC has previously told the refs that on qb interceptions to pay particular attention to the qb for this very reason. Further, Chuck Oliver, not the impersonator above got his ignorant a$$ handed to him by CMR with his stupid question. He’s a jv reporter at best. I still hope AL beats ND, because they represent the SEC.
CHDawg
December 3rd, 2012
4:03 pm
Folks, this stuff has to be penalized and corrected. You can’t attack a defenseless player head to head like that. It is dangerous, and that was one of the worst take-out hits I have ever seen. You also can’t poke somebody’s eye out. They need to look into that one, too. Millner got flagged because he was shoving Dawson for a while. The clip doesn’t show Millner’s provocations before this, but he was flagged, and if he didn’t have a shield on and it is proven Dawson was gouging his eyes, and not just pushing his facemask, he ought to sit out, too. Ironically, it was Dial trying to stop Millner from shoving Dawson. The refs need to hammer this kind of stuff.
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
4:05 pm
I wonder if he asked the SEC office to review the play where Ogletree body slammed the guy from GA Tech.
That is a good question. An Alabama player did that earlier in the season to a Missouri player and got a 15 yard penalty and had to publicly apologize for doing it. A UGA player does it and UGA fans brag about it like it was some kind of accomplishment. Now UGA fans want to whine when one of their players takes a hard hit.
HYPOCRITEDAWGS
December 3rd, 2012
4:05 pm
Better yet how about the no call horse collar tackle dawgs made to prevent bama runner from scoring a touchdown right down the middle of the field. How about suspending your guy for that??????
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Wondering
December 3rd, 2012
4:06 pm
Will the UGA player that blatently stuck his fingers in the Bama players eyes be suspended too. Surprised the TV guys didn’t mention it. The UGA player put his fingers in the Bama players eye and when the Bama guypushed his hand away the ref thre the flag. Nonetheless the look on Murray’s face just before the hit was priceless.He was just pursuing the play when all of a sudden his eyes got really big….then WHAM! Wonder if the Bama player had told Murray “if you don’t try to tackle my guy, I won’t try to block you” things would have been ok?
squat
December 3rd, 2012
4:07 pm
I bee from alamba and i tink it was a good hit on the quater back cause he was on the field…What a bunch of tard azzholes we are.
GATA
December 3rd, 2012
4:08 pm
It appears that the Crying Tide was trying to make Murray cry just like Mccarron after the little miracle at LSU? Oh, but wait, Murray got up and played like a man the rest of the game. No crying in the SEC boys.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X4FBVmntRg
crimson 1
December 3rd, 2012
4:09 pm
You mutts throw rotten eggs at the man’s house now you want to protect him from a borderline hit. You will never see a National Championship scrap dwellers.
azdawg
December 3rd, 2012
4:09 pm
uga4eva
December 3rd, 2012
3:43 pm
After reading some of the comments from AL fans I have to reluctently agree that I too always pull for the SEC but you low rent Bamma scum just changed my mind and I hope you all and Satan get your asses kicked by ND. Now get the he## off this blog.
GTBob
December 3rd, 2012
4:10 pm
You can’t attack a defenseless player head to head like that.
How was he defenseless? He was facing the defender that was blocking him. Just because he is a big pansy doesn’t make him defenseless when he is on the field.
HYPOCRITEDAWGS
December 3rd, 2012
4:10 pm
UGA fans are the absolute worst sports fans of all sports in general. They whine, cry, pout, tattle tell like spoiled kindergarten kids. What a bunch of sorry losers. For the love of meercy at least man up one time and admit your team lost to a better team.
Guess what ……..life aint freaking fair, it never will be so what do you do??? you get over it and play it again.
If you want to be crybabies go play a local elementary school, they can show you how to pooch out your bottom lip when you pout.
Grown crybabies, waa waa waa waa waa waa waa
Bammer
December 3rd, 2012
4:11 pm
azDawg isn’t going to pull for us in the NC game??? We might as well not even make the trip to Miami.
GATA
December 3rd, 2012
4:12 pm
BAMA – DID AJ CRY AND RUN FOR DADDY AFTER THIS ONE?
CHDawg
December 3rd, 2012
4:12 pm
The difference was that Ogeltree’s hit was legal. The chop block on Thornton’s knee was illegal, so the Tech lineman should be the one who gets suspended. Maybe the Tech lineman, Dial, and Dawson should celebrate NY’s at home?