The Maryland Terrapins have opened their 2024 college football season at home against UConn, where they’ve had little trouble running up the score through the first few quarters. But there was one moment in the game that had fans and players outright startled.
On one play, after a pump fake, quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. tucked the ball and ran with it. As a he saw a defender bearing down on him, he slid feet first – and a Huskies cornerback came in like a missile with his shoulder.
Edwards got hit in the upper body so hard that his helmet flew off.
OH MY 😳😳😳
No surprise there was a targeting call here 😬 pic.twitter.com/P4ev7xQp2E
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 31, 2024
Flags were thrown for targeting but fans believe that was too far. Some in the comments believe that at full speed the cornerback really didn’t have many options once the quarterback started to slide.
“I’m sorry but what’s the corner supposed to do here, in slow mo it looks awful but in real time brother has a second to react and realize it’s a slide and not him trying to barrell through him,” one user wrote.
“Kinda insane they called that targeting when you see how late the WB started his slide. The point of sliding is to protect yourself, if you’re tryna get every yard possible with disregard for your safety you shouldn’t be protected for it,” wrote another.
“Yes targeting but a very tough play for the defensive guy to avoid at full speed. Easy to misinterpret when the play is in slow motion,” a third said.
There isn’t much that’s scarier than seeing a helmet go flying off a player’s head in the middle of a game. It almost looks like someone is getting decapitated.
The game is being played on Fox Sports 1.
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