I was listening to a podcast episode of Kansas City's 810 WHB radio show and they had Gary Pinkel on talking about "the hit". The schmuck host said that Osborne's hit was illegal and that players who make hits like that should be ejected on the spot and then suspended. Pinkel was a bit cautious to agree with him but in the end you could tell he was nodding his head over the phone.
I've always wondered what the helmet to helmet rule actually is, according to NCAA law. Have our players been breaking it? What does an official look for if he is going to throw the flag?
The emphasis is a "Defenseless Player". How is such a thing defined?
According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association's 2005 Football Rules and Interpretations: "No player shall use his helmet (including the face mask) to butt or ram an opponent or attempt to punish him. There shall be no spearing. No player shall strike a runner with the crown or the top of his helmet...."
"The spearing [regulations] were revised to help prevent head and neck injuries," says Ron Courson, director of Sports Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, who headed the 32-member task force that helped bring about the rule change. The task force was composed of physicians, athletic trainers, coaches, researchers, football officials, and administrators from the NCAA, National Athletic Trainers' Association, Dallas, and other governing bodies.
"We want players to be aware of the dangers of head-down contact and spearing, which can cause catastrophic cervical spine and head injuries," cautions Courson, who also chairs NATA's College/University Athletic Trainers' Committee. "Each time a player initiates contact with his head down, he risks quadriplegia. Each time a player initiates contact head first, he increases the risk of concussion."
So it seems like half of this is to protect the person delivering the hit. In the wake of Eric LeGrand's injury, I'm all in favor of this. But Courtney Osborne did NOT lower his head. He did NOT lead with the top of the helmet. Blaine Gabbert was NOT defenseless; he was not about to initiate the throwing motion.
Osborne's hit was perfectly legal. ESPNU's "The Experts" unanimously agreed. I do not see why there is a discussion about this.