Shilo Sanders was ejected from Saturday’s game against UCLA for targeting. The call was extremely questionable, and sparked widespread debate about the officiating decision.
It all went down during the second quarter. Sanders laid a big hit on Bruins running back Carsen Ryan.
Upon further review, he was removed from the contest for targeting.
Rob Gronkowski and Richard Sherman did not agree with the call. The former actually said that he would prefer to get hit in such a manner as the ball-carrier.
Robert Griffin III was also spoke out against the call and questioned the current state of college football, and football as a whole.
According to Shilo Sanders, a Pac-12 official even told him during the game that it was a bad call. He claims that the referee said to him that it was not targeting.
Either way, Sanders did not finish out the game and will be forced to sit for the first half of Saturday’s game against Oregon State. Considering that he’s the team’s second-leading tackler, it’s a big loss.
Despite the ejection, Sanders does not plan to change anything about the way he plays the sport. That was made very clear during his first chance to speak publicly about the call during a press conference on Tuesday.
The 6-foot-0, 195-pound safety issued a warning to his future opponents. He is the CEO of what he calls the “headache gang,” which dates back to his time at Jackson State.
It implies that there is a concentrated effort to bang skulls and lay big hits.
Shilo Sanders will continue to be a hard-hitting head-hunter!
I’m just one of those players that, I just try to have my presence felt when I’m on that field. I want to come in and everybody know where ‘Headache Gang’ is. So that’s how I play. I don’t really think I need to change.
— Shilo Sanders
With that being said, Sanders understands that he cannot continue to get called for targeting. His presence on the field has a direct impact on the success of the Buffaloes defense.
Maybe I can go a little lower, just to make sure, because I can’t do my team like that and not be available for them. Not be available to contribute. Because I think I could’ve made a big impact, if I was in the game. I just felt like it was one of them days, where I was going to make something happen.
— Shilo Sanders
Although Sanders may choose to aim a little bit lower on a defender moving forward, he understands that it is not up to him at the end of the day. The officiating crew is going to pay him more attention than his teammates because of his last name.
So I just have to just play my game. If I get in the situation like that, just know it’s up to the refs. I won’t change my play style. But still be conscious of, ‘Hey, if (I) can go a little lower, make sure,’ because I’ve got this target on my back too. It say Sanders, so. That’s pretty much how I’m thinking.
— Shilo Sanders
Opponents beware!
Sanders, as CEO of the Headache Gang, is going to continue to fly around like a banshee. He’s going to continue to lay hits. He’s a heat-seeking missile and he’s coming!