Saban on Turnerâs Jayden Daniels hit: Not an âIntentional hit to the headâ
Alabama football’s Dallas Turner was flagged for roughing the passer in the fourth quarter of Alabama football’s matchup with LSU football after a hit on Tiger quarterback Jayden Daniels. The outside linebacker didn’t get called for targeting on the play, despite Daniels sustaining a possible concussion on the play.
On Monday, Alabama head coach Nick Saban was asked what coaching points he would make to Turner following the hit.
“I don’t know if there is a technical coaching point,” Saban said. “You always tell players you want them to see what they hit. He hit the guy (in the chest) and then he hit him, sort of, in the chin.”
Daniels returned to the game briefly after being injured and spending time down on the field. He then returned to the sideline and was placed in concussion protocol.
LSU coach Brian Kelly said postgame that he had expected a targeting call on Turner, but was told the replay booth had found no reason for it.
Saban said he didn’t feel the play was purposefully illegal.
“It wasn’t like a direct hit or an intentional hit to the head,” Saban said. “It was a really good hit, but unfortunately his helmet did slide up and hit the guy so it’s a foul if you hit the quarterback in the head, it’s gonna get called all the time. And you just want to have him keep his eyes up and see what he hits and hopefully target down a little bit so it doesn’t happen again.”
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe was also asked about his perspective on whether the play was a foul.
“Football is made to be physical,” Milroe said. ” I got hit a couple times and looked at the ref like ‘You’re not gonna call anything?’ But that’s football. You gotta get up and you gotta look at the next play. But I’m glad that wasn’t me on the field, I’ll tell you that.”