Chris Braswell ejected for targeting vs. Chattanooga

Early in a game against Chattanooga, Alabama defender Chris Braswell has been ejected for targeting following a hit on the quarterback.

Braswell got a clean run at quarterback Luke Schomburg on a second-and-6 play in the first quarter. Unimpeded, he destroyed Stromberg, getting his helmet just under the chin.

Officials reviewed the hit and the call of targeting on the field stood. Braswell was ejected, but because the ejection was in the first half he will only miss the Chattanooga game and will not be impacted for the Auburn game next week.

Chris Braswell has been one of Alabama’s impact defenders this season. He has logged 36 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, 7.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception, a pass breakup, a blocked kick and five quarterback hurries.

Alabama respecting its opponent

Despite the lopsided start, with Alabama jumping out to a 21-0 lead early in the fourth quarter, coach Nick Saban went into the day wanting his players to respect its opponent.

“If you don’t respect the other team and then you don’t build on the rhythm and the momentum that we’ve created by how we’ve improved and sort of stack some positive performances,” Saban said on his weekly coaches show on Thursday. “It’s just like when you have momentum in a game — people see it in basketball all the time when you go on 10-12-point run, you get the momentum that sometimes the other team never gets it back.

“So once you lose it, it may be hard to come back. That’s what I’ve tried to emphasize with our players that this team [Chattanooga] can hurt us a lot more in a lot of ways by us not building and stacking positive performances, to be able to play and continue to have a rhythm. That is something that’s positive and it comes with confidence.”

Alabama, of course, is looking to put together a strong finish to the season ahead of the SEC Championship Game.

Take care of business and Alabama will have quite a compelling case to make the College Football Playoffs. But that’s a few weeks away from becoming a potential reality at this point.

It doesn’t happen unless Alabama beats Chattanooga.

“You have these expectations that you don’t have the right respect for the other team,” Saban said. “Things don’t go well, you get frustrated. You really got to have the right mindset and I’ve got to be honest with you — the players have been pretty good this week and hopefully, that’ll carry over into the performance in the game.”