Alabama QB Cooper Bateman takes vicious hit from Denzel Nkemdiche after INT (Video)
Cooper Bateman threw an interception and then he nearly got decapitated by an Ole Miss defender on the return.
From youth football coaches preach the importance of keeping your head on a swivel. Alabama quarterback Cooper Bateman didn’t take that lesson to heart after he nearly had his head removed from his body after getting ear-holded by Rebels linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche.
Ole Miss defensive back Trae Elston picked off Bateman to set up the play in question and on the ensuing return by Elston, Bateman got decleated and nearly decapitated.
Check out the nasty hit on Bateman in this vine, courtesy of Will Brinson.
That’s a perfectly legal play. Is it a perfectly necessary play? Well, that’s another question because Bateman wasn’t going to make the tackle on Elston after the interception. Could Nkemdiche been better served throwing a block on a player to help Elston get in the end zone? Maybe. But then again what defender isn’t going to take a free shot on the opposing quarterback when given the opportunity.
The only thing I would criticize about this play is Nkemdiche didn’t need to stand over Bateman like that. Was it a good hit? Of course it was! Does there need to be showboating after hits like that? Nah.
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