Fans Want Oregon’s Bear Alexander Punished for Hit That Injured Nico Iamaleava
Oregon's Bear Alexander drew backlash for his actions on a controversial play that left UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava injured.
The Oregon Ducks faced criticism after a controversial play in their Big Ten matchup against the UCLA Bruins. With 32 seconds left in the second quarter, UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava was scrambling when Oregon's Bear Alexander and teammate Jerry Mixon tackled him. Both athletes attempted to punch the ball from Iamaleava's grasp, but Alexander's punch came after he landed on top of him during the tackle.
Instead of merely trying to free the football, Alexander struck Iamaleava's neck, causing optics of the play to draw harsh criticism from fans. Iamaleava suffered a lower-body injury from that play and did not return for the rest of the game, with backup Ty Dieffenbach stepping in for the Bruins. Both fans and commentators expressed outrage over Alexander's unnecessary actions, some even calling for a punishment or suspension.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning had previously stated that his Ducks players respect the game, adding to the controversy surrounding the incident.
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