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
Put in Timeout by Ken Sugiura,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 3rd, 2012
5:54 pm
@dewnsav………….can you show where you were calling for Ben Jones to be suspended for any of his DIRTY plays?
A-Dawg
December 3rd, 2012
5:54 pm
I’m a Dawg fan and yeah probably according to the textbook definition that was an illegal hit. But this is football. You HAVE to watch out especially if you’re the QB after throwing an interception. Then more than ever the other team is LOOKING to lay you out and Aaron Murray is experienced enough to know that….and was also man enough not to complain about it. Admonish Dial sure but don’t suspend the kid for the first half of the championship game. Bet you Murray would say the same thing.
JB
December 3rd, 2012
5:55 pm
LSU greatness is OVA
jeff
December 3rd, 2012
5:55 pm
i was very proud of georgia in the game. I said I’d be rooting for whomever won against ND. After reading the assholes from alabama on this blog, I’m not so sure. I guess I shouldn’t judge Alabama as a whole by those who are on here though.
bahits.com
December 3rd, 2012
5:56 pm
For player safety, the review officials should be given the right to call a late hit after any play and on really flagrant and dangerous plays like this, they should have the right to eject the player from the game.
Saban should have taken Dial out of the game and sent him to the locker room.
MT
December 3rd, 2012
5:56 pm
…admit it 400 yards of offense on this so called No 1 D….hahahaha
I wonder what the Irish think about that. Go Dawgs beat the Huskers.
JB
December 3rd, 2012
5:57 pm
Heard today that Murray ran off the field ASAP because he was miffed the sidelined over ruled him spiking the football. The head of our Bulldogclub had a coach tell him that today he’s friends with.
SouthGA Dawg
December 3rd, 2012
5:57 pm
reddnready,
Well put and I agree 100%.It is getting to the point where you have to be blind not to see it. Even the recruits 3 Alabama players went up 60-80 places in recruiting today just because they were Alabama committs.Should be able to sign the #1 class like that.
Husher DAWG
December 3rd, 2012
5:58 pm
Good to see you AL fans displaying your “class” here. My moron next door neighbor moved to AL and it raised the IQ level of both states.
MT
December 3rd, 2012
5:59 pm
I guarantee you Bama’s glad their playing ND and not having to play us again.
Tom
December 3rd, 2012
5:59 pm
The Refs had pressure on them to favor Alabama as much as they could because the media would rather have N. D play Alabama than UGA. There is more interest in that game and more money at stake for the media sellers. Anyway it was within 5 yards and 5 seconds from being UGA in the BCS champion game. Alabama can’t crow that they were that much better of a team than UGA.
bird
December 3rd, 2012
6:00 pm
Clean hit. Unnecessary but clean.
SE GA Fan
December 3rd, 2012
6:01 pm
As much as I normally love the SEC, I just don’t think I can pull for Alabama with these stupid comments from their fans.
dewnsav
December 3rd, 2012
6:01 pm
hawk…get over it…you cannot beat an SEC tream…Put in Timeout, if that was Ben Jones Saturday night, yes I would say he will be suspended…idiot…go dogs
01HAWK
December 3rd, 2012
6:03 pm
All of you UGA fans ……………………………You complained about LSU beating you and now you complain about BAMA beating you.
Get over it. You lost the game.
Showing Your True Colors
December 3rd, 2012
6:03 pm
Whah whah whah.
When the thugs get thugged… they cry like babies.
Starting with CMR, then McGarity, the whining DumnNation, and their puppets at the AJC
Sounds like Kindergarten
December 3rd, 2012
6:03 pm
Lord, this is the saddest blog I have ever read. Two groups of loser fans talking about which program is worse. The thing is both of you are right and neither coaching staff deserves to coach or teach young men about values
DAWGFAN
December 3rd, 2012
6:04 pm
Everyone is missing the point, The play was still in progress so yes, knock the hell out of the guy, but when it’s HELMET-TO-HELMET, it is ILLEGAL, this was HELMET-TO-HELMET, therefore, ILLEGAL! CBS showed it 100x’s after the fact saying it was ILLEGAL! I did not see Tree’s hit on McCarron, but if it was HELMET-TO-HELMET then yes it should be reviewed with the same indifference as the BAMA hit. Both should get some suspension, maybe not full game, but something.
The eye poking incident, yes the DAWG should be punished, we aren’t Florida, but we looked like it there, uncalled for! The officials missed a number of calls during the game, but let’s face it, in what game in recent years have they gotten every call right. To the person on here who said the interception at the end should have stood, open your eyes it hit the ground, the tipped pass was missed. They missed some both ways! If if’s and but’s were candy and nuts we’d all have a Merry Christmas, but in the end, we gave up 350+ rushing and BAMA you held up your own and stopped us, GAME OVER GOODLUCK agains ND, I hope you show those gold domers what REAL football is. I’m a dawg fan, always will be, maybe it’s my curse in life, who know’s, but let’s quit trying to finger point and be stupid and look at the game for what it was, hard fought, intense, and what any southern person would expect in an SEC Championship game.
alex
December 3rd, 2012
6:06 pm
you GA fans need to stop crying….my wife thought it was a cheap shot, but in big boy ball, if you (qb) make a forward move toward the play, you open yourself to the hit taken by Murray….he deserved the hit…..cry all you want bulldogs….
and BTW, if you would have spiked the last play, you could have called a good play for the fianl play…that’s on the coach….
JB
December 3rd, 2012
6:08 pm
The Nebraska Board today was all Dawgs will score at will. They said Dawgs roll big
rukidding
December 3rd, 2012
6:09 pm
Maybe Ga should be looked at for the ganging up and body slamming of Tech players???
JB
December 3rd, 2012
6:09 pm
Alex…IF…..he would of hit Murray in the Chest, it would of been legal.
Spirit
December 3rd, 2012
6:10 pm
I realize that Georgia made mistakes but I also saw where the refs didn’t calls on Bama It just seem very clear that the “powers that be in the media” wanted Bama to win because they know there is nothing else going on there so they will get high ratings.
Dawg1
December 3rd, 2012
6:10 pm
368 Comments.
It’s simple – the play was illegal and dirty – should have been called.
Georgia knocked out an Alabama QB a few years back who had a bum shoulder on a ‘legal play’ and the Bama Fans were all over this blog calling it dirty.
It was a GREAT game. Either team would be worthy of being called SEC Champs. Congratulations to Alabama. I hope the Tide Rolls over The Irish by 40 or more.
Go DAWGS!
Bear Bryant
December 3rd, 2012
6:11 pm
Come on Dawgs suck it up and admit that ya got beat by the best team in the land. Don’t be ashamed that you can’t win the ‘big one” ya were out coached…bottom line. CRM might be a good fit for Auburn….Hell they can’t win one game in the SEC.
Spirit
December 3rd, 2012
6:12 pm
I realize that Georgia made mistakes but I also saw where the refs didn’t calls on Bama.
It just seem very clear that the “powers that be in the media” wanted Bama to win because they know there is nothing else going on there so they will get high ratings
Ray. Herron
December 3rd, 2012
6:12 pm
on the blocked fill goal AJ was hit almost has hard in the head as the Ga qb but no one has cried about that hit
Showing Your True Colors
December 3rd, 2012
6:13 pm
Hey Chippy,
How bout another DumbNation crowd pleasing story that Nick Saban thinks UGA should be in a BCS bowl?
SAL
December 3rd, 2012
6:13 pm
@uga4eva – “THE IRISH WILL KICK THERE ASS – THIS WILL BE THE 1st TIME I HAVE EVER PULL FOR OUT OF CONFERENCE TEAM !!!!!” Why, because we beat your team and you are a sore loser? Go ahead. At least we have the opportunity for a third national title in four years. Typical UGA fan (at least the ones I know).
Boris
December 3rd, 2012
6:15 pm
It is incredulous when the official says we are going have to determine if the hit was above the shoulders and if ((Murray) was defenseless. He must have been educated (misnomer) at Bama.
MT
December 3rd, 2012
6:16 pm
Heard today that Murray ran off the field ASAP because he was miffed the sidelined over ruled him spiking the football.
I wish he would have gone ahead and did it. I t would have given us two more possible plays.
Flashback to 2001, David Greene and the Dawgs got the ball down to the Auburn 1 yd line,same situation
no time outs,Georgia lines up and instead of clocking the ball and stoping the clock,Greene hands off to the back hoping they would catch Auburn not ready, Auburn stuffed us at the line,clock runs out and we lose.
The Dawgs played great Sat. but your mind keeps going to the what if’s.
Hey Bama don’t get in a twist over this, nobody saying if the hit didn’t happen on Murray it would have effected the outcome of the game. We lost. It was evident in the 3rd qtr. our defense was tired out,we didn’t give the big yards rushing in the first half, only when fatigue set in. If we could keep the ball longer after we blocked the FG and away from Bama it may have been different, but ya’ll did what you needed to do. Congrat’s, Roll Tide beat ND go SEC.
Wetdirt
December 3rd, 2012
6:17 pm
Grown man football? Bama QB sitting on the sidelines after LSU game crying like a little 10 year old girl. What a little 8itch!!!!!!!!!!!!
georgytech
December 3rd, 2012
6:17 pm
All you Dawgs thought the body slam of the smallest Tech running back last week was pretty funny, yet when your DEFENSIVE player at the time of the hit gets hit you want to cry . Poor Dogs!
Cobb Dawg
December 3rd, 2012
6:19 pm
This one was just as bad as the Fairley hit. Murray might have lasting head injuries that plague him later in life. Alabama is a dirty state!
JUST WONDERING
December 3rd, 2012
6:19 pm
did anyone see the 2 body slams on GTs WR. NAW didn’t think so. The announcers saw it because they commented on it.
Cobb Dawg
December 3rd, 2012
6:21 pm
bird, you’re a moron and a waste of oxygen.
SAL
December 3rd, 2012
6:21 pm
@Wetdirt – Yeah, that little 8itch was leading the team that beat you in your biggest game in 30 years. Yeah, that one. Better luck in 2042!
heeldawg
December 3rd, 2012
6:21 pm
This blog is filled with ridiculous comments. Really, guys, grow up and act like adults.
The hit on Murray was a blind cheap shot that could have seriously injured him. That’s why it should have been called (and it should have been, there is no question). The league has to protect the players from senseless injuries. In the NFL, this would have resulted in a fine, without question.
The late hit on McCarron was appropriately called–but at least it was in the context of the continuation of play.
The eye gouge by the Georgia player was uncalled-for and unsportsmanlike–shades of Channing Crowder.
The refs missed calls all night on both sides. They are human, not perfect. That’s part of the game. And any Bama fan delusional enough to not recognize the war your team was in Saturday night is simply looking at the situation through Crimson-colored glasses. I could cite other questionable calls that went against Georgia, as well (i.e. the phantom holding call that negated a first down on a screen pass to Gurley in the first quarter), and a slew of no-calls on offensive holding (Jarvis was held all night). But all of that is immaterial. The game was great, it was thrilling, it was an all-out war for 60 minutes, and the players for both teams left EVERYTHING on the field. Bama won, the Dawgs lost, and the outcome was decided in the final seconds when the Tide made a key play and the Dawgs didn’t. Fans of both schools need to stop grousing about the officiating and making B.S. pontifications about what the score might have been if this had been called or that had been called. Whatever was called was called. Whatever wasn’t called wasn’t. That’s the nature of the game of football, and it has been for over a century. Let’s all move on–but let’s also agree that the league is right to make certain that the health of the players is protected. That’s one thing I think we can all agree on.
GA Redcoat Fan
December 3rd, 2012
6:21 pm
That video showing the eye-poke isn’t quite all there was to it. There was more on the part of Milliner that happened just before that 8 seconds of video. What was the time on the clock when that happened?
Put in Timeout by Ken Sugiura,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 3rd, 2012
6:21 pm
dewnsav………….Fairley did some illegal hits but look at Ben Jones @ 1:44. I never saw you posting Ben Jones should be suspended or any of the UGa players that rushed the field from the bench during the fight.
Leaving the bench area during a fight is a 1 game suspension per the SEC rules but NOTHING happend to ANY of the UGa players……..UGa players are NO ANGELS.
MT
December 3rd, 2012
6:21 pm
Typical UGA fan (at least the ones I know).
Wrong Bammer, Most Georgia fans I know will be pulling for the Tide against ND .Remember that’s who we beat for our last NC. Most self respecting Dawg fans would never pull for ND expect maybe against Tech or Florida.
sportsmed
December 3rd, 2012
6:21 pm
My last vent on this one; it’s been my experience that most of you who would justify a hit like the one on Murray as one of the following: (clean block, suck it up, it’s football, etc.), didn’t play the game past rec ball or middle school. If you played in high school and college, you know what this kind of cheap shot can do. Been there, done that, gave a few (not proud of it), took a few (thank you I can still walk). Got the t-shirt, cut the sleeves off, use it to do yard work!
There is a whole lot of potential destruction now that athletes weigh 300 pounds and run 4-8 forties; there’s no place in the game for this kind of hit. I am a Georgia fan (and a Bama fan when we aren’t playing each other), and I have no excuses to offer – I just don’t want to see careers ended and lives forever ruined. Amen
Breaking News from the UGA Athletic Office
December 3rd, 2012
6:22 pm
CMR, Todd G, and McGarity have a asked the SEC office to review film of the entire second half when Alabama just lined up an rammed it down the throat of UGA for 515 yards.
CMR complained and whined to the SEC office that the Alabama offensive line was using “bullying tactics” like shoving, while Coach Todd G. is whining about “… alot of Chop Blocks like GT”.
Reports are that UGA is asking the SEC for a complete replay of the second half.
Stay tuned to Chip… he’s got an eye on this story.
Put in Timeout by Ken Sugiura,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
December 3rd, 2012
6:22 pm
dewnsav the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL96AieSFx4
SAY IT AIN't SO..
December 3rd, 2012
6:22 pm
Whenever a qb throws an interception, he is (by definition) a bowling pin….if he makes one move towards the play, he deserves whatever he gets…..
SEC football is big boy football, and Murray knew he would be sought out if he took one step to the play……Dial did whatever any great football player would do, freeshot the qb…..
and it was a good one….I dislike both teams, but that was a good ole slobber knocker….and couldn’t have been laid on a more deserving guy…
bahits.com
December 3rd, 2012
6:23 pm
John Jenkins basically said Bama was great at holding without coming out and whining about it. He said they had a technique for pulling you into them and taking you out of plays. The refs. should have called a few of them. That would have killed Bama’s running game, but alas, it was not to be. The game was great and I am proud of my Dawgs!
LOLDawg
December 3rd, 2012
6:23 pm
The game can be summed up pretty easily. 2 penalties for 15 yards, a new record. Watch the game and see the great block that sprung Lacy for the 41 yard TD, from behind as jarvis was making the tackle, of course there’s the subsequent holding that wasn’t called then or any other time, throughout the game. Congratulations networks and Vegas, great game! LOL
honest_abe
December 3rd, 2012
6:24 pm
great year! proud of my dawgs
but, everyone should’ve seen that the run d was going to be a problem when a true freshmen (albeit a very good one) was breaking off a long run at just about every practice.
sure we had big john jenkins but i still feel as if him and kwame should’ve been out there together. they should’ve figured out a way to make that work. what’s garrison weigh? 280? that massive bama line was going to have it’s way and anybody that saw the tail end of the first half could see it coming.
Wetdirt
December 3rd, 2012
6:24 pm
Who was the dirty Bama DL that slammed the Missouri RB down? Missouri OL worked his a$$ over pretty darn good the next few plays. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhRQ-Yh1Svg Seems Bama has been doing this type of thing for quite a while.
GTDog
December 3rd, 2012
6:25 pm
A few points:
1. The tipped ball in question WAS in fact tipped, though I sure couldn’t see it on the replay either. I did speak with a UGA player who was on the field, and he said it was easy to see AND hear the tip. In addition, notice the multiple players immediately calling a tip when the flag was thrown, no argument from the Bama players, and the fact that the ref who was in the vicinity came in to make the call overuling the initial flag.
2. The shot on Murray? Cheap shot, no other way to describe it. QB, trotting, looking the other way, hands down, helmet to helmet, a launched shot. When I played, every time there was an interception my first thought was “find the QB and nail him”. It was legal then, not now. I’d rather see the guy help win a NC than be suspended. Saban, Richt, UGA players and Bama players all played a great game, and left respecting one another. I’ll pull for Bama to win one more.
3. Ogletree’s late hit? A stupid penalty, I believe they called it. Good call.
4. The poke in the eye? I hadn’t seen that before, and don’t the context ofthe situation, although it doesn’t matter. I don’t even know who #2 is, but it certainly looked intentional to me. Low class, we don’t need that crap. Hope they suspend him for the bowl game, regardless of any SEC ruling on the matter.
5. “BAMMER”! Dd you really say something aout “losers always whining”? Really? And you’re on a UGA blog WHINING about crap? Okay, listen to your own wisdom, look in the mirror, and work on improving yourself.
I’m really surprised at all the bs on here. Two great teams played a great game. My team lost, but it was a heck of a game, and either team could have pulled it out. I can actually quote Richt, Saban and players from BOTH teams on that. Is it too much to ask that the fans, on both sides, try to display the same class that the actual people INVOLVED in the game have shown?
Here’s a Sick’em Dawgs and a ROLL TIDE for the bowl games…