Kenny Dillingham on Shamari Simmons’ Targeting Appeal

Perhaps the only negative from Arizona’s State’s Big 12 Championship win came when Shamari Simmons was flagged for a targeting call on Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht. It did not impact the game that day, but it would for the Sun Devils’ College Football Playoff debut. 

With the penalty and ejection means Simmons – a senior safety – would have to sit out the first half of the Sun Devils’ quarterfinal game in Atlanta. 

But head coach Kenny Dillingham said the Sun Devils are appealing the call in hopes that it would be reveresed. 

“He made an emphasis to keep his head up,” Dillingham said. “You can see the quarterback turn towards him and lower himself a little bit. That little bit of the turning and lowering is what created the contact with the neck area, which when you’re defenseless, you can’t make contact with the head or neck area.”

Simmons has been crucial to the Sun Devils’ rebuild over the last two years both on and off the field. The safety, a member of the Sun Devils’ leadership council, ranks fourth on the team with 69 tackles. He also has an interception, three passes defended and team-leading three forced fumbles. 

You can hear Dillingham’s full comments on the appeal process in the video above.