APWhether South Carolina has a starting member of its defensive line for all/part/none of its key SEC East game against Florida this Saturday will be up to the football program — provided the conference concurs.
Early in the Gamecocks’ loss to LSU, defensive tackle Kelcey Quarles (pictured, No. 99) was caught by the magic of cameras that litter live televised sporting events punching Tigers offensive lineman P.J. Lonergan in the facemask after the two had tussled during a first-quarter play. While we can’t post the clip here, you can view it by clicking HERE.
The SEC, which has already suspended two players this season for “flagrant and dangerous acts,” said Tuesday that any punishment Quarles will be facing won’t come from the conference as the decision on punitive measures is being left up to the school. Charles Bloom, SEC spokesperson, did tell Brett McMurphy of ESPN.com that any punishment that is — or isn’t — meted out by head coach Steve Spurrier is subject to league approval.
Neither Spurrier nor the school have addressed the situation, although the Ol’ Ball Coach will next speak to the media Wednesday on the weekly SEC coaches’ teleconference.
As for why something such as a punch is not within the SEC’s purview, Bloom said in a statement that the NCAA has mandated conferences take a hands-on approach to illegal/dangerous hits while they leave other issues, at least initially, to the discretion of the individual schools:
“The SEC has been diligent in reviewing plays that by rule involve the initiation of contact and targeting defenseless opponents to the head and neck area. The conference maintains constant communication with head coaches on matters of penalty violations during the season. In the first instance discipline for violations involving non-NCAA-required automatic conference review are to be handled by the institution subject to the approval of the league office.”
Based on the video evidence, and especially given the stakes involved this weekend, we’re guessing nothing more than a slap on the wrist at worst is in the offing for Quarles from the school — subject to the approval of the league office, of course.
Should the unexpected happen and Quarles is held out of the game, though, the Gamecocks would be missing a player who is second on the team in tackles for loss (six), fourth in sacks (2.5) and sixth in tackles (30).
Shouldnt the league suspend him for a game
Let ‘em play!
This convoluted discipline process is tedious and ridiculous.
Leaving any punishment up to “Stevie 5 Chances Spurrier”, is a waste of time. I guess the SEC will allow this so as to not have any impact on the game.
Those of us who support LSU should be thankful we don’t have players like this. And some of the other posts on You Tube are totally assinine where they criticize others that have played for LSU not too long ago. All I can say is anybody who thinks that what the SC player did was justifyed needs to go back and look at things closer.
John, wrong is wrong and what this kid did was wrong. It wasn’t a street fight but it was enough that team rules were violated when he threw the punch the way he did. So other than that you’re goin to tell me that had our player suffered any type of injury it would be alright? And that the kid who threw it shouldn’t be accountable?
If this was an intramural sport event, what would he get as a punishment? No, if he gets a slap on the wrist, does the show the school has a football first culture?
This is laughable. If South Carolina was playing Savannah St he would be suspended 1 game on Monday–Tuesday at the latest..
Since South Carolina vs Florida is the feature game at 3:30 and has strong conference implications this will “handled internally behind closed doors!” WINK WINK
Stay classy, Shamecocks. Spurrier ? Punishment? Guy probably got a helmet sticker.
It’s kinda funny no one is mentioning the face mask that immediately preceded Quarles’ punch.
That’s no excuse for him throwing a punch though. Having played at that level, in a tight game such as that one the pot is always about to boil over. Had the cameras caught all of the instances in that (or any other) game, every team would have several players serving suspensions on a weekly basis.
But such is football. He got caught, and should be dealt with accordingly. A dozen gassers before and after every practice this week and sitting out the first half would be sufficient in my book.
Of course all of the above may be moot, as the last I heard he was still nursing a sprained shoulder and hasn’t been practicing this week?
Coach SS will be tuff on this guy.Just as he always is.I bet he has to sit out the first 30 seconds of the Florida game.SS is a punk.He is what is wrong with college football.Wins come before anything else.Short of murder gamecock players can do anything and not miss a beat.Sounds alot like the other punk at The OSU.Check out his track record.UM and SS have wins above everything else.College football would be better off with out either of them on the sidelines.
Punching a face mask is “a dangerous act” to who? Sounds like a stupid act, dangerous only to the punchers hand.
@mauldawg
You sound like the fan of a team that just got your “dawgs mauled” by the HBC. Sour grapes
Checklist of standard responses to this kind of story:
-the league should punish the player…check
-it’s no big deal…check
-Steve Spurrier never punishes anybody…check
-Steve Spurrier is evil incarnate…check
-everyone does it…check
-acknowledgment that discipline can happen in house, does not have to be reported to the media for fan consumption, and still be appropriate…crickets
You can check that one off as well! If this was the 0-12 Gamecock team from a few years back this would be a non-issue.
You have no clue as to who I follow.No sour grapes,SS and UM are bad for college football.
Remember when throwing a punch was an automatic ejection? Or is that only in NFL games? Okay … so the refs didn’t see it. But how is that not an automatic suspension?
Yet another reason to pay these kids. If you paid them, you could fine them.
Nothing justifies South Carolina’s player throwing a punch in that game. But we all remember Mathieu clotheslining Dre Kirkpatrick from behind and knocking him unconscious during a punt return in last year’s regular season Alabama/LSU game. Mathieu later apologized to Kirkpatrick, but it gets really really old reading about how LSU’s players and coaches are pure as the driven snow and would never never do anything nasty like everyone else’s do.
He should not have thrown a punch and deserves some discipline for his actions. That said, it probably hurt his hand more than it hurt the player whose helmet he punched.
“Fresh Off the Wire”
Speaking on the SEC coaches’ weekly teleconference, Spurrier said he had seen the tape and was prepared to discipline Quarles.
“We do have plans to discipline Kelcy for that,” Spurrier said. “I guess you would call it a punch, I’ve seen a lot bigger punches. I don’t know if the LSU guy knew he threw a punch.
“He did sort of throw it at him. We don’t condone that.”
Asked if the discipline could include game time, Spurrier replied, “Possibly.”
….and more possibly NOT!!!!! ROFLMAO
@blitz4848 …
You’ve got video of Kelcy just kabooming the other guy in the face, and Spurrier says “I guess you would call it a punch. … He did sort of throw it at him.”
How can you not love the Ol’ Ball Coach? LOL
Bammy redneck homers like “Deb” are comical….but, when you’re blogging from a trailer…what quality do you really expect….such a joke…
Deb has Quality with a capital Q.
Eat your heart(s) out.
@cometkazie …
Thank you
RE: Deb @ Novoodoo (good luck with that)
As well as speaketh the truth….
Speaking of trailers…