Texas’ Kindle ready for more sacks after hit on Potts
By Jim Vertuno | ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUSTIN – It was the kind of play No. 2 Texas had been waiting for.
Texas' Sergio Kindle, top, hits Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts in the backfield, forcing a fumble, during the fourth quarter of their NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Early in the fourth quarter against Texas Tech, Longhorns defensive end Sergio Kindle sped around his blocker, zeroed in on quarterback Taylor Potts and delivered a huge hit – one that Red Raiders coach Mike Leach says may have been illegal – knocking the ball loose.
Texas (3-0) recovered the fumble and six plays later scored the decisive touchdown in a 34-24 win.
Kindle, who has been hyped as Texas’ best pass rusher, didn’t have a sack this season until the play that turned the game in Texas’ favor. It prompted a long-awaited congratulations from his father, who had been after him to get to the quarterback.
“He liked that,” Kindle said. “Getting to the quarterback is the ideal thing to do and to get a perfect shot like that I guess is a defensive end’s dream.”
Leach has suggested Kindle should have been penalized with a personal foul for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Potts. Two plays earlier, Texas’ Kheeston Randall was penalized for roughing the passer.
No flag was thrown on Kindle’s hit. All plays that involve similar helmet-to-helmet contact are reviewed by Big 12 officials and the league has taken no action against Kindle.
“It’s about as helmet to helmet as you could get,” Leach said Monday. “There’s a lot of blind people that can tell by hearing that it was helmet to helmet.”
Kindle said his face mask hit Potts in the chest and he didn’t intend to make contact with his helmet, which was jarred loose. Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp has defended the play as legal and a “great hit.”
“It’s a very physical game. It’s a vicious game,” Texas coach Mack Brown said. “There are hard hits and you can’t take hard hits out of the game.”
The sack was a breakthrough for Kindle, who had 10 last season as a linebacker. He is playing a lot at defensive end this season after the departure of Brian Orakpo, last season’s Nagurski, Lombardi and Hendricks awards winner and a first-round draft pick of the Washington Redskins.
Kindle thought about leaving for the NFL after last season, but chose to return for his senior year. He leads the team in quarterback pressures with 11 but big sack numbers were the expectation and they weren’t coming for a player who once called himself “a predator” on the field.
That led to a lot of questions about what was wrong.
Defensive line was Texas’ biggest question mark coming into this season. The Longhorns lost three starters who are now in the NFL.
Texas led the nation with 47 sacks last season and now has nine after three games. With teams concentrating on blocking Kindle, defensive tackle Lamarr Houston and defensive end Sam Acho have more room to rush the quarterback.
Acho has two sacks and Houston is first among down linemen with four tackles for losses. Houston is also right behind Kindle with nine quarterback pressures.
The Longhorns punished Potts last week with 23 hits on the quarterback – including Kindle’s.
“I finally got one,” Kindle said.
Brown said Kindle was given the team’s hard hit award “about six times” for his play against Texas Tech. “He hit everybody and was just was knocking them out all over the place,” Brown said.
Next up is Texas-El Paso (1-2) on Saturday. The Miners have given up nine sacks this season, including six against Kansas in a 34-7 loss two weeks ago.
“Last week we got a lot of pressure on the quarterback,” Acho said. “Hopefully week in and week out it will grow.”
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it was helmet to helmet look at the picture!
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Why isn’t Tech coaching our players to hit like that?
UT & UT players get praise for it.
I’ve never seen Tech defense lead with their helmet to ANY part of a runner’s body.
Spearing is back ——but not at Tech.
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That particular game is now history…..’was really a tough and truly hard-fought one! The replays I have seen do show a lot more helmet-to-helmet than otherwise. In many games the play would have been “flagged”. It finally does not matter any longer. But, we Red Raiders are, of course, impressed and rather excited with the effort and focus exhibited by the Raiders! The game also further indicated the outstanding Coaching job being done at Tech by Coach Leach, considering the resources he has at his disposal. A tremendous job. nmredraider1 in Albuquerque
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As a former official I can tell you that was pure and simple spearing. For those that say it was in the chest, it wasn’t, but even if it was, it’s still spearing. The helmet is for the protection of the player. It is not a weapon and never has been. The referree’s primary responsibility is to protect the quarterback. He didn’t. It was also vicious enough to eject the player. He could have easily broken Pott’s neck. If this kind of hit continues to be allowed, it will happen. If the league says nothing, they are failing miserably in their job.
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FTU
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Kindle was going at him with the intent of taking Potts’ head off. That was the worst no-call I’ve seen in a while.
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Don Enger,
You must have been a terrible ref. That hit was legal, it’s apart of the game. If I ever had you as a ref I would just go put a dress on my players!
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RR07
i’ll call BS on that one. anyone w/ a brain and or ears could tell it was mallicios. terrible no call. i’m sorry you’re not familiar w/ the FN rules!!! seems you’re awfully sympathetic to BO (burnt orange). perhaps you should change allegences. seems that you already have…. ;>)
WRECK’EM!!!!
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I am a huge red daider fain, but it was a clean hit. !Stop Whining! The more Tech complains about the call the more the Shorthorns say that we aren’t ready to play with the big boys. This is big 12 football, not SEC or Big Ten. Beat the Cougars!!
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That hit was illegal in any interpretation of the rule…PERIOD! That being said, I don’t think a penality call there would have changed the outcome of the game, either.
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Herman, take away 7 from uT and give 7 to Tech, Tech wins! I think it played a role.
Didn’t rule change this years or was it just highlighted and refs were to be on look-out? Anouncers said something about it…
This article kind of sums it all up quite well. UT will stoop to low blows if they can get away with it. Glad that Tech “strives for honor”. They are much more Viking like “die with honor” or Knight like “chivarly” than those low life horns.
Wreck’Em Tech! Long live the Matadors!
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It was a strictly legal hit. The face mask was to the chest and the top of the helmet caught Potts at the lower portion of his facemask. That is what caused his helmet to dislodge. It was not spearing and I would not call this a spearing hit since the Texas palyer did not lead with his helmet. If you reveiw the hit as we have done, it was close, but was not illegal. I would allow the hit in any game I officiate no matter who the team.
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as a former official for division 1aa i watched the hit and i would have called it clean. there is too much whining being done here. everyone is acting like if it would have been called tech would have won the game! come on guys look at all the other things in the game that tech didn’t do or did to cost them drives and yards wah wah wah who freaking cares what it was this is football. i can see alot of plays during tech games where holding isn’t called as for the same on the opponents. things dont get called sometimes deal with it. but in this case it was legal
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OU is still reliving the goaline touchdown in Lubbock….That’s what make the games memorable. The swings that make or break a team.
It’s up the the ref on the fields interpretations and then their bosses in the league office to fire them or not.
To me it sure was an intentional head to head, the player even said so.
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intrigued, could that be why your a “former” ha ha…
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no im a former because i now have a coaching job. and he did not say it was intentional quit putting words in his mouth. instead of whining about it watchdog why don you whine about tech not protecting the qb 23 hits on potts is not very impressive byt the o-line
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I find it very interesting that some of the postings here are word for word copies of postings on UT’s fan base site. Why can’t UT fans be satisfied kissing each other on their own site. The hit by Kindle was illegal. It led to a fumble that led to a TD that probably saved the game for UT. These non-calls happen with too much regularity in Austin. UT fans can call it sour grapes, but if the same play had happened on the UT QB they would be screaming bloody murder. (Anybody remember the hit the A&M defensive player made on their QB a couple of years ago? The UT fans were full of venom for months!) I don’t know why the referee didn’t make the call, but it was clearly a helmet to helmet hit. If you watch Kindle he lowered his chin right before the hit. That made it a dirty hit in my opinion. I know that goes against Mack Brown’s opinion, but he is more predjudiced than me.
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Go to this website: “http://www.statesman.com/ap/mediahub/media/slideshow/index.jsp?tId=184714″ and scroll to picture number 81. Then tell me that it wasn’t a helmet to helmet hit! And this comes during the first part of the season when officials have been instructed to watch out for helmet to helmet hits, especially on QBs, and to make the call if there is any doubt. The “officials” posted above that have commented that they believe this was a legal hit should have their credentials revoked.
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#1 – a facemask is part of the helmet.
#2 – the helmet can’t be used as a weapon against ANY part of another player.
Spearing rule was ALWAYS ignored at UT & OU.
If spearing stink can’t be started here then we need to start coaching it too.
If we don’t start coaching it here, then we’re causing a big advantage to our opponents.
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go go go Coogs!!!
Just hit those teckies hard!!!, they are all bark and no bite!!!
see ya in Pasadena!!!
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spearing is implied to the top of the helmet look it up
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I don’t know If It was a dirty hit or not, but It sure looked like It to me ! The commentators thought so too, but not the refs….no big surprise there !!!!!!!!!!!!
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If all you have seen is the replay’s from the side Kindle was coming from you would think it was a legal hit. When ABC showed the replay from the front, Kindle ducket his chin just prior to putting the hit on Potts. The first thing to contact Potts was the top of Kindle’s helment. Watch the replay from the front and there is no way you could say it was clean hit.
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This is history. The officials probably have all the needed information to make any decisions, one way or the other. It was a vicious hit, like many others in football. However, despite the severity of the hit, Tech may have come out the winner because Taylor Potts got back up and still led Tech to a couple of more touchdowns. Now, let’s forget about this because it is history and Tech has another game Saturday against another Top-20 team. Houston has played well, is undefeated and has been rewarded with a ranking that is higher than Tech’s. Does Tech warrant being ranked in the Top-25? Not yet, because they have to play well enough to earn it, unlike some who will get a top ranking (re: USC, Ole Miss) regardless of their actual abilities, but more for their anticipated abilities. Tech may eventually reach that echelon, but for now, they must win games like this one against an up-and-coming Houston Cougar team. Time to move forward, Tech and win this to get back on track for another stellar year. WRECK ‘EM!
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intrigued, watch what part of the helmet hits first, the top to Potts facemask. It was a MISSED CALL but its in the past so it dosnt matter. I know you have to let the game play but dont say it was a clean hit. i am not saying you sucked as a ref but i wouldnt want you making calls like that at games i played or coached in.
here is the link, look at it and ask yourself for the truth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_epWlIIVpI
MISSED CALL
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Anybody who gets up from that is tough as nails, and I like that! That could become this team’s identity lead by Mr. Potts. Yes, the hit was illegal and TU and OU get that call, no question. Fact is, the block was missed, Potts took the hit, and got up like a man(a better man than me). I have a new respect for him, and I believe his teamates do also.
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watching the video liked by little will and i do believe he is wrong he lowers his head in what it appears to be to not go helmet to helmet. look at the height his facemask was at b4 he lowers it. he would have completely taken potts head nd then it would have deff been helmet to helmet. to the guys saying well its is spearing then i laugh at you because the spearing rule is to stop the tackling player from tackling with his head down which might cause paralysis to the tackler.
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also there was an article on si that had experts talking about the hit and they deemed it legal so i would rather take their views on the subject than from a bunch of guys on a message board
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you’re saying he lowers his head, exposing the crown of his helmet to potts, to avoid going helmet to helmet?
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Your expert Andy Staples on SI, never heard of him. Here are some quotes from your “expert” in the article you are refering to. “From Pop Warner on up, any coach worth his salt begins each season with a warning that if you can’t see what you’re about to hit, you’re in trouble.” That is why he says Kindle lowers his head, he was looking down at the ball. Another quote “A tackler who dips his head and leads with the crown of his helmet stands a good chance of winding up paralyzed or dead.” Guess it’s ok for the tackler to wind up dead. So I guess the rule must be “tackler leading with crown of helmet not dead or paralyzed, no flag.” He is arguing that the hit was a perfect form tackle. Any coach who teaches to lower the crown of the helmet before impact should never coach again. It is extremely dangerous for both the tackler and the person being tackled.
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I’ve heard all the arguments I want to hear about the hit (which was blatantly dirty).
But what did it tell us about the two players? Potts is one tough dude to shake off that hit and jump up to go on another TD drive. And about Kindle? It told us he’s a dirty player at heart ………and that he hits like a girl. He’s supposed to be some bad dude and he hit Potts with everything he could, including spearing. Is that all you got, Sergio? Really? Maybe you should stick to hitting things with your car.
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god do you guys read? or do u just pick parts and pieces because you have blinders on?
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All I’m saying realist is either way, Potts was the man on that play. It’s football and you can’t keep injuries from hapening unless you totally change the game. Well, I guess another thing I’m saying is I do not see most, if not all of the media as experts and it would have been a penalty against Tech if the tables. Unless you take their helmets away, there will always be helmet to helmet hits and they are dangerous.
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Issac: Tech looked elite despite second straight lose.,
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Shows what type of coach TEXAS has and what type of players ,trying to injure a player, sickening, Iguess he be real proud if Potts was paralyzed for LIfe, K indle should have been ejected from the game ,and Mack BROWN FINED FOR SUCH A IRRESPONSIBLE COMMENT..
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It was helmet to ball. That’s why he fumbled.
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Lovely hit, Potts is a pot head he does stupid things like, not get rid of the ball quick enough. I really enjoyed that hit, what a pleasure.
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Issac, Kindle is just another TU thug, out of prison on a work-release program. How’d you make bail?
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Either the “Realist” has had too many concussions or needs a new television. That was a deliberate cheap shot by a jailbird coached by an outlaw who wouldn’t care if his own guys were paralyzed if it won the game.
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That hit was textbook…helmet hit the ball first…..I will say Potts is tough and showed a lot of heart getting up though but what’s all this about “protect the qb”. He’s wearing pads too. Football is a contact sport……u sand aggies need to learn that
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Those Texas fans sure do spend a lot of time on the Red Raider message board. The game was 3 weeks ago short horns!
Get a life!
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Hey 40 acres………. There is one thing you will “learn” this season……..Roll Tide Roll Alabama #1
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Still say it was a illegal hit and Kindle should have been ejected and brown and muschamp fined and I hope Alabama beats the crap out of Texas, period…
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