Baylor Coach Matt Rhule Under Scrutiny for Not Benching QB Charlie Brewer After Possible Concussion

With a potential spot in the College Football Playoffs on the line, the Baylor Bears are in need [...]

By John Newby

With a potential spot in the College Football Playoffs on the line, the Baylor Bears are in need of a victory against the Oklahoma Sooners. However, head coach Matt Rhule is receiving a significant amount of criticism from fans that believe he is putting a win ahead of player safety. He left quarterback Charlie Brewer in the game after it appeared that he had suffered a concussion.

Following a hit on third down, the Baylor QB was helped to his feet by teammates, but was very wobbly as he was attempting to leave the field. This led to questions about whether or not he would be evaluated for a concussion and forced from the game. Instead, Brewer went back into the game. He was ultimately removed after the referees recommended that he undergo evaluation.

Following the second look, Brewer was ultimately ruled out for the remainder of the game with a concussion, putting pressure on the backup quarterback to deliver a victory. Of course, this became less of a concern for many on social media given that they were instead focused on the way Rhule handled the entire situation.

"#Baylor should've instantly started concussion protocol on Brewer when he wobbled onto his feet after Murray's hit," one user wrote on Twitter. "Greedy and dangerous of Baylor's coaching staff—about to let brain damage slide if the official didn't demand a second look. Ridiculous."

Others weighed in, saying that the coaches were disregarding player safety in favor of winning a football game. Some users even wondered if the parents of Brewer would be meeting with Rhule and his staff to discuss their child and his safety.

"It's a shame it took the umpire to get Brewer into concussion protocol. If I'm his parents I've got some questions for that Baylor coaching staff after this game," a user wrote on Saturday.

These concerns and frustrations were only limited to fans of Baylor. Some Oklahoma faithful even weighed in to say that they wanted the Sooners to win, but they couldn't believe this situation with the coaching staff. In their opinion, a game isn't worth the long-term health of a kid.

Interestingly enough, there was one fan in particular that viewed this as a larger issue than the Baylor coaching staff. They alleged that the NCAA only cares about fining and suspending players instead of their health.

"So I guess the concussion protocol doesn't apply for the NCAA. No way #44 for Oklahoma and #12 for Baylor should be playing right now! NCAA is not here to protect the athletes, they just want to discipline them. #NCAA IS A JOKE."

Photo Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty

0comments
Start the Conversation

of