Here's what Urban Meyer is crying about.....

[ibelonginprison]

On a run play, please explain to me what players are considered "defenseless". On a run play, or kickoff, etc, all players are fair game. Supposedly you played football. This should be easy for you to understand. Now, if it had been after the whistle, he would have been considered defenseless, for the simple fact that players do not expect to be hit after the whistle. If he got hit like 3 seconds after releasing a pass, he would be considered defenseless. If he were a punter or kicker and somebody clocked his ass as he was coming down from his follow through, he would be considered defenseless. No matter how you slice it, you're not going to see a flag on a play such as the Tebow hit. And you shouldn't, either.

Defenseless can also be associated with players who are 20 yards BEHIND the play, standing there minding their own business.

[RWS]

Defenseless can also be associated with players who are 20 yards BEHIND the play, standing there minding their own business.

I'm sorry, but on a run play, you are fair game between the time the ball is snapped, and when they whistle the play dead. If you want to split hairs, then if you flag what UGA did, you're going to have to flag people for nailing the QB on any option play. Should they just not allow sacks on QBs if they fake a hand off too? How many yards away from the play is considered "away from the play"? Its going to open a big can of worms if you flag what the UGA player did. It still doesn't change that it was cheap. But it was legal.

[The Prowler]

On a run play, please explain to me what players are considered "defenseless". On a run play, or kickoff, etc, all players are fair game. Supposedly you played football. This should be easy for you to understand. Now, if it had been after the whistle, he would have been considered defenseless, for the simple fact that players do not expect to be hit after the whistle. If he got hit like 3 seconds after releasing a pass, he would be considered defenseless. If he were a punter or kicker and somebody clocked his ass as he was coming down from his follow through, he would be considered defenseless. No matter how you slice it, you're not going to see a flag on a play such as the Tebow hit. And you shouldn't, either.

Defenseless QB, per NCAA 2008 Rules and Interpretations, Page 10 of 266.

A QB is considered defenseless, after handing the ball off or pitching it, when "he makes no attempt to participate further in the play".  (in William's illegal hit not only is Tebow making no attempt to participate in the play, but he's about 8 yards away from it.)

I'm sorry, but on a run play, you are fair game between the time the ball is snapped, and when they whistle the play dead. If you want to split hairs, then if you flag what UGA did, you're going to have to flag people for nailing the QB on any option play. Should they just not allow sacks on QBs if they fake a hand off too? How many yards away from the play is considered "away from the play"? Its going to open a big can of worms if you flag what the UGA player did. It still doesn't change that it was cheap. But it was legal.

Nope, you're still wrong.

[RWS]

Defenseless QB, per NCAA 2008 Rules and Interpretations, Page 10 of 266.

A QB is considered defenseless, after handing the ball off or pitching it, when "he makes no attempt to participate further in the play".  (in William's illegal hit not only is Tebow making no attempt to participate in the play, but he's about 8 yards away from it.)

Nope, you're still wrong.

In that case, then yes, it should have been a penalty. They introduced that into the rules last year, and I didn't know about it. I'm reading the 2009 version and it says they introduced that in 2008.

[The Prowler]

In that case, then yes, it should have been a penalty. They introduced that into the rules last year, and I didn't know about it. I'm reading the 2009 version and it says they introduced that in 2008.

Yeah, I had to search further for it, I'd thought that it was in the '09 version, because it kept saying refer to "Point of Emphasis" and I couldn't find POE in the '09 version. So yeah, it should've been a penalty.  What would've happened had Tebow bounced his head on the turf, giving him another concussion and knocking him out for another game.