Chris Simms drew backlash for saying Oregon quarterback Dante Moore’s late slide left USC linebacker Desman Stephens II in a “no-win situation.” Stephens was ejected for targeting; Moore was taken to the hospital by ambulance after the hit ended his game Saturday.
During NBC’s halftime coverage, Simms called the injury a “Debbie Downer moment.” He said Moore was running at speed and Stephens was bracing to tackle, while also acknowledging that defenders must be careful around quarterbacks.
Stephens hit Moore above the shoulders as the quarterback began to slide. Stephens was seen celebrating and high-fiving teammates while Moore received medical care; Simms called the behavior a “bad look for USC.” NBC’s Nicole Auerbach said the Big Ten could review the incident under its sportsmanship policy. Oregon turned to Dylan Raiola, who helped the Ducks beat USC 41-27; at the time of the reports, Oregon had not announced Moore’s full injury extent.
