OT: Disgraceful hit by an Arkansas player

Submitted by MGoCooper on

I didn't catch his name, but a special teams player for Arkansas had a completely disgraceful hit on special teams today. The Vanderbilt returner had signaled for a fair catch, and the ball was no where near him, and the Arkansas player just destroyed him while he was signaling for a fair catch. I can understand emotions getting the best of a player, but to continue to taunt a player you injured after your illegal hit, is classless. I despise Petrino already, and this just continues to show the lack of team discipline his players have shown in the past. This was probably the most disgraceful, and illegal hit I have ever witnessed in college football. 

 

Edit: The players name is Marquel Wade

JimLahey

October 29th, 2011 at 4:00 PM ^

Your description reminds me of a similar play by Troy Polamalu at USC.
Edit: just watched it and the real disgrace was his behavior after the play and on the sidelines. He should be done for the year, let his parole officer deal with him.

The Granddaddy

October 29th, 2011 at 3:58 PM ^

just watched on youtube....uncalled for--but if you rewatch--how clear does fair catch signal normally have to be?  Seems like this one was a little less apparent than normal.

miCHIganman1

October 29th, 2011 at 4:10 PM ^

Regardless of the signal, you still can't hit a punt returner before the ball arrives.  I honestly can't even fathom what that Arkansas player was thinking.  One of the most disgusting plays I've seen in college football.  And, as state above, his attitude afterwards was even worse.

wolverinenyc

October 29th, 2011 at 5:46 PM ^

Obviously the safety of the players is paramount but I agree that the signal was not very clear. It looked to me like he was shielding his eyes. That does not excuse the Arkansas player's behavior after the hit but I don't think it was an intentional dirty play. I think the more troubling issue is the helmet to helmet contact which is clearly an issue in all of football. Everyone wants to make a play but you gotta be smart about it. Should've hit and wrapped rather than trying to making the spectaclar hit.

 

perhaps he signaled earlier than whats showed in the replay above?

PIJER

October 29th, 2011 at 9:35 PM ^

The fair catch signal was not clear at all! This howver doesn't excuse the illegal hit. A personal foul was correctly given to the young man. This play in my opinion was not intentionally dirty, and didn't warrant an ejection. Nothing is being said about the Arkansas player that followed the hitter, he didnt' make contact, but his intentions were the same.  This ejection was wrong because the refs didn't follow the rules for ejection to a tee, they followed emotions because the player got hurt. This play has happened over and over again, and as long as the returner got up, it was just a penalty. The Arkansas player had every right to be upset! For those that have never played football at a high level, it's hard to understand the amount of emotion that goes into it. Mr. Wade's actions on the sideline were overboard, but for this board to assume that this kid has a parole or probation officer because he was emotional and didn't want to be kicked out or consoled is wrong. (to put it lightly)

bj-ask you

October 29th, 2011 at 4:12 PM ^

" I despise Petrino already, and this just continues to show the lack of team discipline his players have shown in the past."  "

John L. Smith is the special teams coach, douchebag.

 

 

 

Roachgoblue

October 29th, 2011 at 4:24 PM ^

Petrino has more criminals on his team than most of the Top 25. There was a big SI article about the SEC teams and Penn State leading the way. He is a dirty old mutha fucka! I lived in Maumelle, Arkansas and it is known that shady shit is happening in Fayetville. He oversigns, allows drug test fails, and god knows what else. Give it time and it will come out. I really like the Hogs and hope they clean house.

M Fanfare

October 29th, 2011 at 4:30 PM ^

I've heard of high school coaches who tell their players to do this the first time a returner signals for a fair catch, in the hopes that the returner will drop the next one. It's disgusting, and not an isolated incident.

nyc_wolverines

October 29th, 2011 at 4:41 PM ^

Troy P gets lit up continually by strong QBs... he's out of position and gets notoriety for his Jimmy Super Fly Snooka-esque tackles, which happen, oh once or perhaps twice *a season*... Totally overrated. And "head and shoulders" is a shit shampoo.

He's just as dirty as Hines Ward.... Ward, Polamalu, Harrison, Rothlisberger... a locker room of gentleman they have there in Pittsburgh.

Sac Fly

October 29th, 2011 at 7:29 PM ^

I saw a few bad ones today that should have been ejections. There was the OU linemen who went out of his way to stomp the K-State QB's chest while he was laying on the ground, and the PSU linebacker who put his heel right into the linemens knee after the play.

mfan_in_ohio

October 29th, 2011 at 8:01 PM ^

There was a second guy right behind Wade that was trying to do the same thing.  This isn't a player doing something stupid, this is something they were coached to do.

Section 1

October 29th, 2011 at 9:46 PM ^

It was an outlandish personal foul.  I have no problem with the officials' call.

What was so weird to me is that the foul (and ejection) were called on #1; but if not for the fact that he leveled the punt returner, his teammate #25 arrived a split second later, and would have killed the returner just as outlandishly.  Really strange.

Was that John L. who was collaring #1 off the field after the ejection?  Looked like him...

SamirCM

October 29th, 2011 at 9:32 PM ^

That seems more coaching than an "accident," same as I don't believe that MSU players happened to throw Denard to the floor after the play in a fit of passion, no I call bullshit! Of course, nothing will happen to these saintly coaches.

phork

October 29th, 2011 at 9:50 PM ^

We had a player do that in Canadian University football.  He was kicked out of the game, then suspended for the rest of his eligibility.