Senior Gamecock linebacker ejected vs. Texas A&M for targeting
South Carolina football is now without a steady senior presence on its defense, as linebacker T.J. Brunson was ejected in the first quarter of Saturday’s game against Texas A&M for targeting.
The call came after a review on a play in which Brunson combined with defensive lineman D.J. Wonnum for a sack of Aggies quarterback Kellen Mond and a fumble, which Texas A&M recovered.
Brunson did not make contact with Mond’s neck or head area on the hit, leading to some confusion and frustration on social media from Gamecock fans, but he led with the crown of his helmet, and the NCAA’s definition of targeting includes leading with the crown of the helmet without needing to make contact with the head or neck.
Still, some criticized the call because of the inconsistency with which it is made across games, including former South Carolina assistant Seth Strickland.
Because the targeting call came in the first quarter, Brunson will miss the rest of the game and be eligible to play in all of next weekend’s game against Clemson.
The call erased a major loss for A&M and set them up for an eventual field goal to put the Aggies up over the Gamecocks, 3-0.
Brunson was playing in his 48th career game for USC. He led the team in tackles as a junior with 106 stops and entered Saturday’s game second on the team this year with 71 tackles, including five for loss. He also has an interception and a fumble recovery on the year.
USC was already playing without several major offensive weapons — senior receiver Bryan Edwards was a late scratch and senior running back Tavien Feaster was ruled out earlier in the week.
South Carolina and Texas A&M are being televised on the SEC Network.
This story was originally published November 16, 2019 at 7:55 PM.
