After Alabama’s 42-28 win over LSU, the talk around town isn’t about another dominant second-half performance from the Crimson Tide, but rather a hit in the fourth quarter that has sparked a great deal of debate.
Linebacker Dallas Turner delivered a big hit on Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels and was flagged afterward for roughing the passer. Daniels would then enter the concussion protocol and was unable to return to the game.
The play was not reviewed for targeting, but after the clip and slow-motion shots went viral, many believe that Turner should have received the targeting call or at least should have gone to review.
Jayden Daniels was shaken up after taking this hit that was ruled roughing the passer. pic.twitter.com/4JKCTNnaPr
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) November 5, 2023
One of the critics of the play is Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin who shared his thoughts on the play during a press conference with members of the local media on Sunday.
“I can say — nothing against those officials — I was blown away that was not targeting,” Kiffin said according to the Daily Advertiser. “I mean, from the second I saw it. And the hit to the neck and head injury — how that wasn’t and how that wasn’t reviewed.”
Kiffin continued to share that if that play was not worthy of a targeting penalty then he may not have a full grasp on the rules.
“I obviously don’t understand the rules, because that’s not just missing it on the field,” Kiffin said. “That’s having plenty of time to look at it and not throwing it. Again, that would go into my — I don’t know it there’s a more important job for the officials than to protect the quarterback, who’s in a very vulnerable position by how he has to throw the ball.”
Turner’s head coach Nick Saban also weighed on the hit on Monday and how he can avoid plays like that in the future.
“You always tell the players you want them to see what they hit,” Saban said. “He hit the guy sort of in the chin, so it wasn’t like a direct hit or an intentional hit to the head. It was a really good hit, but unfortunately, his helmet did slide up and hit the guy It’s a foul if you hit the quarterback in the head. It’s going to get called all the time.
“And we just want to have him keep his eyes up and see what heh hits and hopefully target down a little bit so it doesn’t happen again.”
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
