Saturday night’s game between Oregon and USC included a hit by Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens II that took out Ducks quarterback Dante Moore and sent him to the hospital. Beyond the room itself, the situation was riddled with horrible optics.
Stephens celebrated after the play. He was seen smiling on the sidelines before his disqualification.
Then, in the second half, Stephens returned to the USC sideline.
When asked after the game why Stephens was back on the sideline, USC coach Lincoln Riley seemed baffled by the question. “Because he’s on our football team” Riley said.
Strangely, NCAA Rules allow a “disqualified” player to remain on the sidelines. (An “ejected” player must leave.) Still, it was tone-deaf of USC to allow him to return.
Stephens deserves a stiff suspension for both the stunt and his subsequent antics. And there’s no way USC is going to do this on its own. The NCAA must step up and send a clear message about its commitment to player health and safety. If not, someone should suggest an amendment to the Protect College Sports Act that requires the NCAA to take a harder line when something like this happens.
While the bill’s name is just a slogan aimed at getting the NCAA the antitrust exemption it craves, the NCAA invented the term in order to make the bill more palatable. So they are now stuck with this. And, given the bill’s chosen title, how can the NCAA and the federal government “protect college sports” if they don’t also protect college athletes?
Gn sports
