Flying helmets an issue

TUSCALOOSA | Mark Ingram’s 1-yard touchdown run against Mississippi State last Saturday could easily have been the most costly score of his University of Alabama career.

Instead, it only cost him five stitches.

As the sophomore Heisman Trophy candidate lay bloodied on the turf after being struck in the head without his helmet, an issue UA coach Nick Saban first brought up weeks ago — the frequency with which helmets come off during play — came into harrowing focus for Crimson Tide fans.

“A guy just pulled my helmet off and another guy fell on me with his facemask,” Ingram said. “It cut me open right above my right eye and I got a little cut on my other eye. It was nothing intentional — just playing ball.

“I touched my forehead and saw a whole bunch of blood on my hand, so I just laid there.”

By Monday, Ingram’s injury was barely noticeable. But an increased number of instances in which players have lost their helmets between the whistles has been plenty noticeable to coaches around the Southeastern Conference.

“I think when the season’s over, there are a lot of good people who are in the equipment business who probably need to address some of this. Any time player safety issues are involved, everyone involved in college football is always looking for a better way and I’m sure will do the same thing with the helmet issue,” Saban said. “I think it is somewhat of an issue. It just doesn’t happen to our players — it happens to a lot of players. And I think the players need to make sure they’re doing everything they need to do so that whatever equipment they have, they’re using it in the safest way to protect themselves.”

Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower lost his helmet during play earlier this season. It also happened to Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes during UF’s game against Georgia, and Arkansas safety Jerico Nelson knocked off the helmet of Auburn’s Mario Fannin with a big hit earlier this season. And those examples don’t even begin to complete the list.

“We do cringe (as coaches),” said Vanderbilt’s Bobby Johnson. “That’s a dangerous situation.”

Gators coach Urban Meyer is convinced he knows what the problem is, and it isn’t the equipment itself. Meyer believes his own players and others are sacrificing safety for comfort when it comes to fastening the helmet.

“Back when we played 100 years ago, there was a single strap. Now everybody’s got the double strap and it’s very uncomfortable to have those things locked down properly,” Meyer said. “You preach and tell them, but you can’t go up and check their helmets every (play). But if you have both double straps locked down and tight, I don’t think helmets come off. I think players have a tendency to loosen them. … I investigated it myself, ‘What the heck are these things coming off more than ever for?’ It’s usually because they play with one buckle (on each side), or one is much looser.”

UA left guard Mike Johnson conceded Meyer’s point, suggesting players often secure their helmets with comfort in mind.

“You either have on too tight or you have it on too loose, and if it’s pushed the right way it’s going to pop off. You either have it too tight where you have a headache, or you can have it a little too loose,” Johnson said.

According to NCAA rules, only four-point or six-point chinstraps are legal. Players who don’t have them fully fastened can be cited by officials for an equipment violation punishable with a charged timeout, though the rule is rarely enforced. If officials call an equipment violation on a player whose team that has used all its timeouts, a 5-yard penalty for delay of game is assessed.

According to NCAA spokesperson Chris Radford, the governing body for collegiate sports does not track the issue.

“Wearing a helmet and chinstrap properly is very important for safety purposes,” said Radford. “The Football Rules Committee meets annually to discuss potential rules changes or the need to make points of emphasis for existing rules about the health and welfare of student-athletes. However, no data are maintained on the frequency of helmets coming off players’ heads during games.”

Johnson has managed to avoid losing his helmet this season, but still knows the feeling.

“It happened to me during the SEC Championship last year, right at the end. I don’t even know who hit me but I got hit in the face. … I can’t remember who it was — it was either Carlos Dunlap or Brandon Spikes. It wasn’t on the film, it wasn’t on TV, but it wasn’t a big deal. Whoever it was, they got away with it.”

CODY UP FOR AWARD - Senior nose guard Terrence Cody has been named a finalist for the Bronco Nagurski Trophy, which goes to the nation’s top defensive player. UA linebacker Rolando McClain was a semifinalist for the honor, but did not make the final cut. Cody was joined by Iowa linebacker Pat Angerer, Tennessee safety Eric Berry, TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes and Nebraska lineman Ndamukong Suh as finalists. The winner will be announced Dec. 7.

Reach Chase Goodbread at chase.goodbread@tuscaloosanews.com, or at 205-722-0196