Flashback: Watch the Dirtiest, Latest Hit You'll Ever See in Football
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re re-posting it here in case you missed it.
You will probably not see a more blatant late hit than the one that occurred in a Japanese college football game.
During a May 6 game between the Nihon University Phoenix and the Kwansei Gakuin Fighters, the Kwansei quarterback was rolling out to the right and threw an incomplete pass out on the flat.
Long after the ball left the quarterback’s hand, a Nihon defender came barreling toward him from the quarterback’s blindside.
The video shows that he took at least eight running steps after the ball was released before drilling the unsuspecting quarterback in the back.
Because the quarterback wasn’t bracing for the hit, you can see his back whiplash with the hit before he falls face-first into the turf. It’s one of the dirtiest plays you’ll ever see.
The quarterback was injured on the play, having sustained ligament damage to his spine. The defender was hit with a roughing-the-passer penalty. He got two more fouls in the game after that and was ejected.
Who would’ve thought Japanese college football would give us the dirtiest late hit of all time?! pic.twitter.com/7X4MdoBlb9
— Laces Out (@LacesOutShow) May 16, 2018
“It can’t be happening. I have been coaching football more than 30 years, but I have never seen such a dangerous play,” Fighters head coach Akira Toriuchi said later, according to The Japan Times.
Nihon coach’s, Masato Uchida, appeared to take ownership for the hit after the game.
“I’ve given my players a lot of pressure because they are not good enough,” Uchida was quoted as saying. “We can’t go passive. We have to go aggressive against the Fighters to beat them. We can’t beat them without those aggressive plays (that led to the penalties). I’m responsible for those plays.”
This week, the Japanese news outlet The Mainichi reported that the player who delivered the dirty hit said he did so at the direction of his coach, who he claimed told the players to foul opponents.
“I was told by the head coach, ‘If you’re going to commit a foul, make sure you do in the game,'” the player said, according to a source.
The source told The Mainichi that Uchida implied he would reward rough play with increased playing time.
When investigated by the university, Uchida denied the accusation, saying, “I didn’t tell players to commit fouls.”
The Kanto Collegiate Football Association and the Japan American Football Association have formed a Disciplinary Committee to discuss the issue and decide on the official punishment for the player and the team.
In the meantime, the player has been suspended indefinitely and the university has apologized, though Kwansei officials have said the apology was insincere.
American football: Nihon University’s apology insincere: Kwanseihttps://t.co/luMLZD1n8y
— The Mainichi (@themainichi) May 17, 2018
It should be noted that this happened in a preseason game.
Two other universities have canceled their exhibition games against Nihon this spring due to the incident.
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