It has been two weeks since Dallas Turner hit Jayden Daniels in Alabama’s meeting with LSU, but Brian Kelly continues to complain about it.
Kelly, head coach of the Tigers, watched his team suffer a 28-42 loss to the Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Nov. 4 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Daniels dominated in the first half with 141 rushing yards, but the Tide’s defense limited the talented quarterback to 22 yards rushing in the second half. Turner, an outside linebacker, put a big hit on Daniels that knocked him out for a play but he returned to the action. The hit brought controversy on social media; however, Turner did not lead with the crown of his helmet nor did he launch himself into Daniels. It was a clean play, but Kelly remains upset about it. LSU earned a victory over Florida, and one of LSU’s defensive players got ejected from the game for targeting. Kelly tells reporters that the hit by his player was ‘clean,’ and how it is ‘tragic’ that he got ejected. He said Turner ‘was trying to knock Daniels out of the game.’
“Last week, that guy that hit Jayden Daniels, was trying to knock him out. You can say whatever you want. But that’s what he was trying to do. Our guy was trying to make a tackle.” – Brian Kelly on Andre Sam’s “tragic” ejection for targeting vs. Dallas Turner’s hit on his QB. pic.twitter.com/SJyxXTJFs6
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) November 12, 2023
Football, in its essence, is a violent sport.
RELATED: CFB world reacts to Dallas Turner’s massive hit on LSU’s QB Jayden Daniels
Kelly is communicating that his player made a football play, but Nick Saban can argue Turner made a football play on Daniels. If Kelly was concerned about Daniels’ health, why would he have allowed Daniels to enter back into the game after taking the hit?
He is contradicting his argument by his actions, but, interestingly, Turner’s marquee play is being discussed after the fact.
Turner got flagged for a 15-yard personal foul, so it was not like Alabama did not get penalized. Bryce Young, a former Crimson Tide quarterback, suffered a worst hit in 2022 against Tennessee. The officials let the play stand, and nothing was called.
Daniels remains in the conversation for the Heisman Trophy, and Turner has Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.
Alabama takes on Chattanooga this weekend for senior day.
Click here to follow the Bama Elite Podcast
*Get the BEST Alabama football insider information, message board access, and recruiting coverage today! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our subscriber-only content!*
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
