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Washington State Cougars safety Deone Bucannon has been suspended by the Pac-12 for the first half of WSU's game against the UNLV Rebels on Friday. The suspension stems from a hit on Eastern Washington receiver Greg Herd in the fourth quarter of WSU's win over the Eagles on Saturday.
Pac-12 commissioner, Larry Scott, has this to say regarding the suspension:
"While Mr. Bucannon was penalized on the field, I have deemed it necessary to add a half-game suspension," said Scott. "This disciplinary action was part of our weekly review of all targeting and unnecessary roughness hits." "In order to appropriately protect our student-athletes, it is imperative that we monitor and when needed, act in situations where a blow to the head of a defenseless player was flagrant and/or unwarranted, especially in situations where the hit occurred well after the play was over" added Scott.
The NCAA requires video review by the Pac-12 for all defenseless opponent penalties that do not result in immediate disqualification. For an in-depth look at the hit that caused this suspension, be sure to check out Brian Floyd's analysis.