CHAMPAIGN, ILL. – The Gophers drew their fifth targeting ejection of the season Saturday, and this one was the scariest one yet.
Illinois wide receiver Malik Turner lowered his head to make an 8-yard catch over the middle and got leveled with a helmet-to-helmet hit from Gophers safety Duke McGhee. Officials ejected McGhee, while Turner spent several moments on the ground.
The medical staff placed Turner in a neck brace, lifted him onto a stretcher and carted him off the field.
"Malik Turner will be OK," Illinois coach Lovie Smith said following his team's 40-17 loss. "He's in the locker room right now."
Cody Poock, Jonathan Celestin and Tai'yon Devers received targeting penalties in the season opener against Oregon State, and Jack Lynn drew one last week against Rutgers. Throw in the Jaylen Waters ejection from the Penn State game — for a personal foul on kicker Joey Julius — and the Gophers have had six players ejected this season.
The Gophers drew only two targeting penalties over the previous four years. Both of those calls were overturned.
"Again, I know what the rule is, and we work on it, but when those [offensive players] are going down that low, it's hard to avoid," coach Tracy Claeys said. "But it's a rule, and we'll go to work.
"I hate to tell them to go down to the legs all the time. Then they're going to be putting their heads down when they tackle, and we've got to stay below the shoulders. But I like the way our kids — how aggressive they are."