For those looking for the ACC to take action against a Florida State player for a hit in the Maryland game Saturday, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.
In the Seminoles’ blowout win over the Terps, defensive lineman Jacobbi McDaniel laid a hard hit on quarterback C.J. Brown, putting the area between his facemask and the crown of his helmet square in Brown’s chest. Making the hit look all the more vicious was the fact that McDaniel’s teammate, Christion Jones, was simultaneously slamming into Brown’s lower back as he released the football.
No flag was thrown as a result of the hit, but the Terps asked the ACC to review the play. According to Jeff Barker of the Baltimore Sun, that review is complete, with the ACC finding that the officials were correct in not calling a targeting penalty on McDaniel.
The Sun wrote that, per a league spokesperson, “McDaniel’s hit doesn’t fall within the definition of targeting because he didn’t hit the quarterback with the crown of his helmet.” However, a source also told Barker that a roughing-the-passer flag should’ve been thrown.
The ACC’s coordinator of officials, Doug Rhoads, was responsible for the review and the decision to back the crew working the game.
Brown suffered a concussion on the second-quarter hit and did not return. He is officially listed as “day-to-day” because of the injury and his availability for the Virginia game Saturday won’t be determined until later this week.