Gamecocks’ D.J. Swearinger Suspended 1 Game
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BananaStock(COLUMBIA, S.C.) — South Carolina safety D.J. Swearinger has been suspended one game.
The safety was penalized for his hit on a defenseless UAB’s Patrick Hearn while breaking up a pass in the third quarter Saturday. The Southeastern Conference suspended Swearinger on Monday and he will miss this Saturday’s game against Missouri.
But even with the suspension handed down, head coach Steve Spurrier says it’s a questionable call.
“It’s sort of interesting. If you hit him right in the knees when the ball gets there or right in the belly, I guess that’s OK. But anything above the shoulders is considered off limits right now,” Spurrier said.
Spurrier also addressed his concern for NCAA quarterbacks and their safety.
“In the NFL, they protect them a little bit better than we do in college,” Spurrier said of quarterbacks. “We do everything to protect helmet-to-helmet injuries, and protecting defenseless players. But to me, after the quarterback has thrown the ball and you know he has already thrown the ball that should be a defenseless player.”
South Carolina is 3-0 to start the 2012 season.
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