Boston College was flagged for a late hit on Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola during the fourth quarter of the Pinstripe Bowl from Yankee Stadium on Saturday. However, the penalty drew criticism from college football fans who believe his slide was way too late for the defense to adjust.
This latest incident continues an ongoing discussion about the protection of quarterbacks.
Raiola, who bears a striking resemblance to Patrick Mahomes, led the Cornhuskers to a five-point win over the Eagles on an extremely messy field at Yankee Stadium. A crucial first down run with less than four minutes left helped to seal the win. The No. 1 overall prospect in the recruiting Class of 2024 kept a read option around the left edge and scampered for a gain of about five.
Raiola gave himself up as he reached midfield and slid feet-first. In that same moment, defensive back Carter Davis came flying in like a heat-seeking missile to deliver a big hit on the already-down quarterback. That did not go over well with Raiola, who popped right up and immediately got in the face of Davis. Players from both sides stepped in to break things up which caused a minor scuffle.
Players had to be separated after this hit on Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola.
— ESPN (@espn) December 28, 2024
Boston College was given a personal foul penalty for a late hit on the play. pic.twitter.com/9e65pHThSO
Bill O’Brien was furious with how things played out.
Did Dylan Raiola slide too late?
Boston College was penalized for the late hit with a personal foul. Nebraska picked up a free first down that allowed the offense to effectively ice the game.
Although the flag was warranted by rule, Dylan Raiola’s slide is subject to widespreead disapproval. Davis had already started to make the hit before the start of the slide.
And as we learned from Sir Isaac Newton, an object in motion stays in motion unless it is acted upon by an external force. In this specific instance, Davis was the object in motion. Raiola was the external force.
What else was the Eagles’ defensive back supposed to do? He could not stop his tackle after he started. At no point did he lead with the crown of his helmet or launch into the head or neck area. It was shoulder to chest.
The officials still threw a flag.
Interestingly enough, this same exact scenario took place in the NFL earlier this month and it involved Mahomes. Raiola, much like the man he cosplays, was the beneficiary of a late hit because of a late slide.
It is important to protect quarterbacks, but these kinds of penalties are a problem. At what point do we need to change the rules to prevent late slides? If you’re going to go down, go down.