Jeremy Ware hits Colin Sandeman

Hell of a hit knocks Sandeman clean out. Flag shouldn't have been thrown in my opinion. Iowa at Michigan State.

[watch_hawk]

were you at the game? I was and my initial thought was that the flag was for taunting, not helmet to helmet. MSU players came onto the field (some without helmets on even) and started to celebrate the hit. I assumed at the time that that was the reason for the later call. That is why a lot of people are thinking the flag was for taunting, not the helmet to helmet.

[Lydeck]

That's football right there. Sucks the guy got hurt like he did, but that's a beautiful hit. All defenders should strive to hit people like that. He squared up, kept his head up, and exploded into the receiver. Perfect.

[TheVCRTimeMachine]

What was upsetting was not that they called a penalty, but that they dropped the flag for the penalty more than a minute after the hit. It's a legal hit either way, but what took them so long to call it?

[andynel]

@thetrout27 If there was zero helmet to helmet contact how does he get knocked out cold? His impact with the ground is hardly enough to knock him out? Also, you can see from the way his head snaps that there is helmet to helmet contact.

[hisroyalsweetness]

That was just a terrible call. 1) He led with the shoulder. 2) Sandeman wasn't defenseless. He saw Ware coming and could've easily avoided the hit. 3) The flag was thrown after they saw Sandeman was hurt. If he pops back up, it's just a good play. Bad call. It didn't cost us the game, but it certainly helped Iowa win.

[BViewed]

I was around the 10yd line and 26 rows up and was in PERFECT view to see the play develop. As soon as the WR caught the ball I blurted out "Stick 'Em!" and the DB just absolutely blew him up. BUT, no way this is a dirty hit. What is the DB supposed to do, turn around and run away?? If he'd dove at him and blown his knee out ppl would be complaining about that too. It's part of football and sometimes it just happens. You just can't call that, especially at a critical time of the game!

[falconsoccer]

and i quote from Dr. Karen Johnston who is a concussion specialist, "You can get a concussion if, for instance, your body is hit and your head flips back. Sort of like a whiplash."

[knpstrr]

first off "leading with the helmet" is the lamest call in football, the helmet is always being lead along with the shoulder, its impossible to avoid that. If you take a close look at the video above you'll see it is a helmet to shoulderpad hit. There were no Iowa players complaining about the hit on the field and the only reason the refs threw the flag was because they thought he got hurt.

[mikewebb]

But yet your players were still faking injuries to slow down a comeback that you were afraid you were walking into. Class act.

[jsmith]

It's a new rule this year, No contact above the shoulder pads or something like that. I don't agree with the rule, as many great college DB's do the same thing. I have no affiliation with either team, and I think that hit last year would have not drawn a flag. But if you look at Sandeman, his arms aren't moving, that is a pretty good indication of some type of head injury. But it wasn't a dirty hit, Sandeman was just basically taken by suprise.

[MGulash]

Last I checked football was a contact sport. He came in with his head up... What was he supposed to do? Extend his arms and push him down? As far as the celebration goes... What was the Iowa defense doing after big plays? The flag wasn't even thrown... One of the officials dropped it onto the ground while they were all having a meeting.

[srk]

It was taunting, though Sandeman's severe head injury probably helped sway the official's decision a bit. Personally, as an Iowa fan, I have to say that I don't think it was a dirty hit. Just happened that their helmets collided, and then Colin's head hit the turf.

[watch_hawk]

before you call someone a jackass, know this... The call on the field was "Personal Foul." The refs did not specify and they still have not specified (to my knowledge) what exactly the "Personal Foul" was. It could be for the helmet to helmet or taunting... Either way, MSU committed a penalty and deserved to get flagged/lose the game.

[BillColeExperience]

Even on the Hawkeye board most acknowledge is was a clean hit although there was incidental helmet contact. There is on every play. There are some diehard who will insist otherwise, but as they discuss on the Hawkeye board after going frame by frame, it was a clean hit.

An injury doesn't warrant a penalty unless the rules were violated.

On the board they also are writing the 15 yards was for taunting not the hit.

[flipflopchick]

This is an example of "Act like you've been there before." If him and the rest of the defense hadn't "celebrated" the hit, the flag wouldn't have been thrown. Sandeman was out cold before he even hit the ground, and when you saunter around nodding your head like you're the shit, you aren't going to get the benifit of the doubt.

[JordanLoperena]

You're right, it was not an illegal hit. Ferentz and Sandeman have both said so themselves. However, the classless manor in which Ware taunted a player that was knocked out cold on the ground deserved a flag. Had the refs made that call in the first place, I think there would be about 600 less comments on this video.

[MrThatswhatshesaid]

If it weren't for that penalty, Iowa MOST DEFINITELY would have not gotten into field goal position. So, yes, this call did cost State.

[elocoetam]

there is a guy on the field who could be seriously injured, and people are mad because of a penalty call... where is the compassion??? shouldn't they be more worried about the guy who just got the shit knocked out of him???

[hisroyalsweetness]

Ware knew he had enough momentum to not have to worry about wrapping the guy up. he kept his head up, led with his arms and shoulder and leaned into the hit in a perfectly legal fashion. when the ball carrier and tackler are both upright, keeping their heads up, incidental head to head contact will almost always happen and almost never get called. Still, chris rucker needs to learn to defend a slant. Cant wait for fall 2010 GO GREEN!

[jmarkhinton]

I was at the game and the official threw the flag right away! The officials got together and talked about it, before he addressed the penalty to crowd!
So the ref threw the flag right away, but they discussed it first, as any good crew should do.

After an illegal hit - MSUck fan boos while a player is convulsing on the then those same fans throw trash and change onto the field!!!

Real sportsmanship stay classy East Lansing!!!!