McMillian is thankfully ok after the hit injured him.
Football is a contact sport. Players know what they sign up for when they put on a helmet and take the field.
But a brotherhood also exists among players, and anyone who has played at any level understands that bond.
That is why hits like the one below have no place in the sport.
Vanderbilt senior fullback/tight end Gabe Fisher sees freshman Isaiah McMillian watching the ball carrier on a kickoff return, tees himself up, and launches himself directly at his head.
20 years ago, fans and coaches would have cheered that play; some may still. We have thankfully advanced past that era, as hits like this can result in concussions and potentially long-term damage to players.
Had Fisher just run into him and hit him in the shoulder, that would have been a totally clean hit. A hit I would even celebrate. Knowing what we know about CTE, there is just no place for hits like this in football. Call me soft if you want, but these things have to be eliminated.
The refs did the right thing and called targeting after the booth initiated a review.
After the game, UK head coach Will Stein said McMillian should thankfully be fine, as he was a handful of Wildcats who left the game but shouldn’t be out long-term.
We’re all thankful that McMillian appears to have dodged a major injury from a type of hit that’s caused plenty of them.
Also, you may have noticed that Stein had Kentucky’s offense staying aggressive in the final minutes while up 17 when they could have just run the clock out. I’d say this hit was part of why he wanted to keep taking it to Vandy.
Here’s to hoping McMillian is okay and can return to the field when he’s ready.
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The Cats have put together a strong resume.
Another great night and win for the Cats!
The Cats move to 7-1 overall and 5-1 in the SEC before heading to a much-needed bye week.
The Wildcats look to take down the Dores at Kroger Field.
The Cats look to take down the Dores in Lexington for the first time since 2020.
Kentucky will have six players ruled out heading into Saturday’s clash with the Commodores.
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