šŸ“” What happened on DeVonta Smith ejection punch

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Helmet on, walking slowly to the locker room, DeVonta Smith heard a few cheers and more hissing from Texas A&M students.

Moments earlier, the quiet Crimson Tide receiver took a swing on Texas A&M safety Leon Oā€™Neal to earn a rare ejection from Alabamaā€™s 47-28 win in College Station. It came in the closing moments of another weird one in Kyle Field -- a game Nick Saban said Alabama didnā€™t finish with class.

Saban and a few players offered their view of the altercation that sent Smith to the showers early.

ā€œBasically, he got hit -- punched and he retaliated,ā€ Saban said. ā€œWeā€™ll have to wait for the conference office to see what his status is. It was offsetting fouls. Obviously their player shouldnā€™t have punched him but (Smith) should have had the discipline not to hit him back because thatā€™s a foul. We would have got a 15-yard penalty and that would have basically ended the game.ā€

Smith was blocking Oā€™Neal on a running play from Brian Robinson when the two got tangled. Oā€™Neal tossed Smith to the ground, then shoved Smith on the side of the helmet as they stood up.

The Alabama receiver reached back and delivered a quick punch with his right hand that had a little more juice than the first one.



His status for next weekā€™s game against Tennessee rests with the SEC who will review the play. Unlike targeting ejections, situations like Smithā€™s will be evaluated in the league office to determine if further punishment is handed out.

Alabama receiver Henry Ruggs was standing right by the altercation as it occurred.

ā€œIt was a back and forth,ā€ he said. ā€œI canā€™t really say what went through his head but I mean the guy slammed him on the ground and the guy swung on him. I donā€™t really know how to say what he was feeling but you can just see his reaction to it.ā€

Offensive lineman Landon Dickerson has experience in momentā€™s like that. He tangled with Duke defensive lineman Edgar Cerenord in the season opener. After the Blue Devil threw a punch, he had to make the same lonely walk to the locker room with an ejection.

ā€œItā€™s just playing hard,ā€ Dickerson said of Saturdayā€™s post play action. ā€œWe try to play with emotion and not be emotional so it got a hold of us a little bit there. Toward the end, we just have to be resilient, especially at the end of the game. We canā€™t make stupid mistakes.ā€
 
Maybe those type penalties should be reviewed so all the guilty parties get punished.

that's my assessment, as well. i think they should be reviewed (just like a targeting call), and of it looks as if both parties were responsible then both teams get penalized (offsetting) and both players get pulled for 1 play. if only 1 party is involved, then let it be for only that team/player; penalty yards, sit for 1 play.
 
Well the guy that holds the faith in his hand! Are watching both fighting so if one can't play, then the other one that was kicked from the game should be!
 
What will happen which might be to our benefit is since Smith got ejected that will be the end of his penalty. The other player might have to sit the next game out since he did not get ejected. I would much rather have the former than the latter.
 
They do and it will be.
I'm thinking @Bamabww was thinking about a review in-game vs post-game.
what makes anyone think a fist to a scientifically designed headgear designed to take unimaginable force is going to produce anything but a sore or worse hand....
Ya know, if a helmet can get underneath a face mask enough to contact the jaw of a player and knock him out ... I'm thinking a fist could as well.
 
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