If you’ve never heard of Jadeveon Clowney, that’s about to change. You’re about to hear a lot more about the South Carolina Gamecocks player “that they should talk about in Columbia as long as folks talk about football,” as Yahoo puts it.
See, during the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s Outback Bowl against Michigan, Clowney burst through the line on a run play, lowered his head, and completely leveled running back Vincent Smith. The hit was so hard it sent Smith’s helmet flying along with the ball, which Clowney recovered. ESPN’s Mike Tirico can be heard saying that the Gamecocks “deserved” that play — that’s because the refs blew a call previously that wrongly awarded Michigan a first down.
Here’s the hit:
South Carolina eventually won the game on a last second play.
Yahoo notes that Clowney, a sophomore, could be a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender next year.
You can see why.
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (40)
mlimberg
Jan. 2, 2013 at 2:48pmDang, that’s got to hurt……
Report this comment
Paool
Jan. 2, 2013 at 1:49pmWhat does this even mean? How does that even relate? Just…just go away.
Report this comment
Paool
Jan. 2, 2013 at 2:02pmwhoops, was suppose to be a reply to ARISTACAH who said “And we wonder why kids go crazy and shoot up elementary schools.”
I must have hit the “cancel reply” button on accident before posting. whoops
Report this comment
DSN397
Jan. 2, 2013 at 10:11pmYou idiot. What it means is that some brilliant senator should propose a law which prohibits assault football helments from coming off a players head. A helment flying around like that could seriously hurt someone. Of course first they would have to form a committee of some of the more astute senators, you know one’s who haven’t suffered too many concussions, If they can find enough to make a quorum, then they’d have to determine whether to specifically target Riddell, DNA Pro or Xenith, or all three.
Then the pressing issue of multipul chin straps would have to be addressed and probably limited to one., keeping in mind that what with lunch, cocktails, and assorted deviate sexual behavior this all must, and I mean must be done by February 3rd. in order to keep the entire country from going off possible Super Bowl cliff.
So PAOOL now you know, puls now you know exactly why these champion’s of justice deserved and got a pay raise. I’ll bet you knew all along and was just pretending to be a liberal democrat playing the conservative’s for fools.
Report this comment
toledofan
Jan. 2, 2013 at 1:34pmNothing vicious about the tackle, it’s part of the game, but, the other part is that when you have long hair, it’s easier for the helmet to be dislodged. In this case the Michigan players hair was the culprit not the defense.
Report this comment
Batchwiper
Jan. 2, 2013 at 1:32pmWhat an exceptional player! Don’t watch much football today so I Wiki’d Jadeveon Clowney, and he was like the number one high school player in the country his senior year, and you can see why, today at 6’6″ and 250lbs, he redefines the meaning of fast.
Report this comment
KINGRUDDY
Jan. 2, 2013 at 1:23pmGreatest HIT of all time. The picture perfect tackle!!!!
Report this comment
Patlearon
Jan. 2, 2013 at 12:28pmThis kid is a monster. He’s going number 1 overall in the ’14 Draft.
Report this comment
KevinFSU
Jan. 2, 2013 at 12:12pmI mean ok … he was completely unblocked massive fast guy… The question i have is why didnt that tackle block him? Id be pissed if i was the RB.
Report this comment
Patferr
Jan. 3, 2013 at 4:33amI played College and Pro football, and the Tackle may not have been assigned to block him, it looked like the Fullback was supposed to get him and the play bounce outside, but the guy completely missed him and he dropped the BOOM on that RB…the O-line doesn’t get any respect usually, only when they may or may not have “screwed up”. Sometimes, people know who the Center is since he does touch the ball, but the rest of the line, they really don’t hear much about during a game. I was an offensive Tackle so I know how it feels. I played against Cornelius Bennett and Derrick Thomas and we had a play where we pulled the left guard to block Bennett on a play action pass, and Bennett was so fast, he was all over our QB before our Guard got out of his stance. They had to adjust the play and I picked him up, and he didn’t have any more sacks that day. Bennett was better than Thomas was in College, but in the Pro’s, exact opposite. Thomas was really tough in the Pro’s.
I just thought you may like to know that just because a guy comes through the line, doesn’t mean the nearest offensive lineman missed him. It depends on the design of the play and your responsibilities on that play.
Report this comment
flatlandbroncofan
Jan. 2, 2013 at 10:45amThat was one of the sweetest tackles I have seen even from the pros in a long time it was not brutal it was a classic tackle. Excellent form fundamentally sound and a legal tackle. That is what football is all about.
Report this comment
Batchwiper
Jan. 2, 2013 at 1:40pmAgree with you 100%, brutal is the wrong word, it was an exceptional tackle!
Report this comment
mfspradley79
Jan. 2, 2013 at 10:30amI’m a University of South Carolina alumni and I <3 the Gamecocks!! Michigan had really contained JD Clowney the entire game. This was his only significant tackle. I've been watching him make big hit after big hit all season so this isn't really anything new for this guy. He's a beast!!! I especially liked the way he picked up the football like it was a little nerf ball.
There were many other big hits by big players in the game. I mean, how can you miss Devin Taylor at 6'-8". The Gamecock defense is explosive when they get by the block. You could do a great defensive highlight reel just off this game. DeVonte Holloman and DJ Swearinger also had great hits forcing fumbles but Michigan recovered the ball. Jimmy Legree snagged a interception on Michigan's first drive. Aldrick Fordham, Victor Hampton and Kelcy Quarles all got nice sacks. It was truly a team effort!!
Report this comment
mrunner
Jan. 2, 2013 at 2:01pmI am a huge Michigan fan. Hats off the the Gamecocks on a great win. It sucked watching it, but only because it was against Michigan. In truth, the ball should have been the Gamecocks at that point anyways- not sure what that Ref was seeing when he looked at the stick and the ball- but I was seeing daylight…
Report this comment
Aristacah
Jan. 2, 2013 at 10:10amAnd we wonder why kids go crazy and shoot up elementary schools.
Report this comment
Bamagal0007
Jan. 2, 2013 at 2:21pmHuh?
Report this comment
rangerskippy
Jan. 2, 2013 at 10:04amthe long nappy braids leads to helmets coming off and injuries, but saying so is not only a PC violation, making them cut it would violate the thugish image that MTV has worked so hard to build in the African American culture.
Never mind that they are 12% of the population and do half the nation’s murders, just keep promoting the gangster lifestyle giving out hte Obama phones, the welfare, and destroy them, like the dems have always wanted.
Report this comment
justangry
Jan. 2, 2013 at 9:35amLULZ @ Meatchicken! Block much?
Report this comment
CAROLINAGIRL
Jan. 2, 2013 at 9:32amI watched this game and Clowney took quite hit earlier and was taken out. This is football!
Report this comment
Steve28
Jan. 2, 2013 at 9:31amAnd he’s got 2 more years possible, but I expect only one. Funny they did not show the one he got hit below the belt that took him out. Ouch!
Report this comment
GuruMeditation
Jan. 2, 2013 at 9:25amMeh.
Report this comment
rdk
Jan. 2, 2013 at 9:21amThe hit and the entire play by Clowney was the key play in the game. The Michigan players should have been more aware at that point in the game; they had contained Clowney previously by putting two men on him or putting their premier lineman, Luwan, on him. Michigan played a good game except for that one key time.
Report this comment
justangry
Jan. 2, 2013 at 9:36amMichigan sucks.
Report this comment
burnteye86
Jan. 3, 2013 at 2:13amLamecocks suck
Report this comment
IndyGuy
Jan. 2, 2013 at 9:09amIt’s getting harder to recognize the Blaze with all the TMZ and Highlight reel stuff…
Report this comment
marybethelizabeth
Jan. 2, 2013 at 9:33amScott Baker will never raise theblaze past it’s current Huffington Post wannabe status. He doesn’t have the fortitude to do anything but mirror it’s content.
It’s always been imitation. It’s never been innovation, no matter how many times Mr. Beck says otherwise.
Report this comment
marybethelizabeth
Jan. 2, 2013 at 9:00amWhy is this attack on Yahoo Sports being published here, especially considering Mr. Beck’s invention of Google as an evil conspirator to rob the world of it’s freedom?
Someone loses a helmet in most football games.
Report this comment
Uechi
Jan. 2, 2013 at 9:10amSee your back Moron!
Report this comment
Thornyrose13
Jan. 2, 2013 at 8:40amLooked like a clean, if unusually hard, hit to me. Impressive. I just wish some of these coaches would crack down on the posturing and strutting after plays like this. It’s all well and good to be proud, but the game is a team effort, and it’s just cheap to make it a “me” moment during the game. I can just imagine the Spartans at Thermoplye pulling off some of these moves after slicing or dicing a Persian. Our our men at D-Day after taking out a bunker or machine gun.
Report this comment
SpankDaMonkey
Jan. 2, 2013 at 8:26am.
He dropped his balls.All of them…………..
Report this comment
ares338
Jan. 2, 2013 at 8:24amBan all vicious killer hits…better yet ban football..no ban all fans….well heII ban something!
Report this comment
lel2007
Jan. 2, 2013 at 8:23amThis is why BLOCKING is so important in football.
Report this comment
redfish52
Jan. 2, 2013 at 8:16amHey…it was a good hit. They aren’t playing Hockey…oh wait…its ok to deck someone in Hockey.
Report this comment
NoMoMrNiceGuy
Jan. 2, 2013 at 8:16amBAM ! – Now that is a hit !
Report this comment
circleDwagons
Jan. 2, 2013 at 8:15amAnd? Roll Tide Roll
Report this comment
redfish52
Jan. 2, 2013 at 8:18amThat would have been the game…Tide against *****…poor ND is in for a major thumpin…
Report this comment
RJJinGadsden
Jan. 2, 2013 at 8:36amYou got that right. Roll Tide coming Monday night!
Report this comment