Referee levels South Carolina quarterback

October 21, 9:43 AMCollege Sports ExaminerJacob Osterhout

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Spurrier would've taken out that ref.

Don't know how I missed this story from the weekend. Visually it's about as awesome as watching Hines Ward block.

In the second quarter of LSU's 24-17 victory over South Carolina, Gamecocks' quarterback Stephen Garcia took the snap at the Tigers' eight-yard line, rolled to his left and had a shot at the end zone.  But at the five-yard line, umpire Wilbur Hackett Jr. lowered his shoulder and decked Garcia, allowing LSU's defenders to catch up to the play.

You can see from the video below, that it wasn't simply incidental contact. It appears as if Hacket unloaded on Garcia. And Wilbur Hackett Jr. knows how to hit. He was a starting linebacker for the Kentucky Wildcats back in the late 60's.

In the end, Hackett's tackle didn't really matter as South Carolina scored three plays later. Both Gamecocks' coach Steve Spurrier and the SEC exonerated Hacket after the game. "He was just trying to get out of the way," said Spurrier.

But imagine if South Carolina had failed to score a touchdown on that possession and still lost by seven, would "Hackett's Hit" be brushed off so easily?

Probably not.

Of course, if 1966 Heisman Trophy winner Steve Spurrier was the quarterback, this wouldn't be an issue either. He would've run through Hackett on his way to the end zone.