Fans urge NCAA to ban Shamari Simmons after ‘stupid and dangerous play’ in Big 12 Championship game
Fans are calling for Shamari Simmons to be handed a lengthy ban after he was ejected for a brutal hit on Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht.
Arizona State beat Iowa State to win the Big 12 Championship at the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium on Saturday night, but the game was marred by the dangerous hit at the start of the fourth quarter.
Simmons was ejected from the game and will therefore miss the first half of Arizona State’s first CFB playoff matchup, but some fans are now urging the NCAA to impose stronger sanctions on the defensive back.
On the play, the ball is snapped to Becht and as he looks to throw, he is ploughed into by Simmons for a devastating sack.
The quarterback doesn’t see Simmons coming and receives a brutal hit to the helmet, which the referees deemed to be so severe that they ejected the ASU player from the game for targeting.
On social media, fans quickly called for him to be punished further, with one writing: ‘I am suspect about targeting but in this case he deserves a multiple game suspension.’
Shamari Simmons was ejected for targeting after this hit on Iowa State QB Rocco Becht
Becht was left flat on his back and needed medical attention after the brutal hit to his helmet
Simmons celebrated the sack by gesturing that he had sent Becht to sleep (second right)
Another added: ‘Stupid and dangerous play,’ while one fan said: ‘Not hard to put a shoulder into him instead of that boneheaded move. Basic.’
Others, though, backed Simmons and claimed the quarterback ducked his head to make the play look worse than it was.
‘Great hit. How football used to be, and should be played,’ one fan insisted, while another Simmons backer added: ‘That’s clean asf he just ran thru right thru him. This is the entire reason they wear helmets people.’
In the game itself, Simmons’ ejection didn’t hinder ASU’s performance, with the team already 45-10 up when the hit occurred.
The Cyclones managed to pull back nine points in the fourth quarter, but it was a simple victory for the No 15 Sun Devils, who move to an 11-2 record for the season.
