The facts
South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart has been suspended one game in a decision jointly made by the program and the SEC. On Saturday, during South Carolina's 49-18 loss to Alabama, Stewart punched Alabama tight end Josh Ford in the helmet. Stewart also shouted at coaches when he was subbed out, and at one point walked away while head coach Shane Beamer was speaking to him. Beamer ran back to Stewart and held his right arm as they walked down the sideline.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said Stewart's "egregious contact reflects behavior that is unacceptable and not aligned with the standards of the Southeastern Conference". Sankey added that such contact "carries a serious risk of injury and has no place in our conference competition" and warned that any future misconduct will bring more severe discipline.
Beamer told reporters he was "embarrassed" by Stewart's conduct, and on Sunday announced Stewart was suspended indefinitely. Athletic director Jeremiah Donati said the program expects student-athletes to conduct themselves "with the highest level of integrity at all times" and that "Keeping one's composure, even in the most competitive environments, is our standard."
Stewart will miss Saturday's home game against No. 24 Kentucky, with South Carolina sitting at 2-2 and 0-2 in the SEC. In two-plus seasons he has 57 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks, after a back injury kept him off the field until his Sept. 19 debut against Mississippi State.
Our take
Dylan Stewart swung at a fucking helmet during the blowout and somehow expected his hand to win. The hardest thing on the field cracked his own knuckles while Alabama kept piling on to 49-18. Then the real meltdown started. Subbed out, he screamed at his own coaches, walked away mid-speech from Shane Beamer, and forced the head coach to sprint back, grab his right arm, and drag him down the sideline like a pissed-off dad yanking a brat out of the candy aisle.
Beamer later said he was embarrassed. No shit. The man gets paid millions to coach football, not to chase a grown edge rusher who treats his sideline like a daycare tantrum. Athletic director Jeremiah Donati mouthed the usual line about highest integrity and keeping composure. Stewart answered by turning a back-injury comeback season into one swing at a skull and a shouting match with the people trying to get him to Sundays.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey labeled the contact unacceptable and warned of harsher future discipline. They still only sat Stewart for one game against Kentucky. South Carolina sits at 2-2 and 0-2 in the conference, missing its best pass rusher because he decided the helmet of Josh Ford and the authority of his own staff were both the enemy.
In two-plus seasons the guy has 57 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks, then traded the rest of his year for one stupid punch and a public babysitting session. Talent this wasted belongs to a clown who confuses his own team for the opposition. The only head he actually damaged was the one between his shoulders.
