ANN ARBOR, MI (WIS) -
It has been just over two weeks since "The Hit" -- a crushing blow that South Carolina Gamecocks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney delivered to Michigan running back Vincent Smith at the Outback Bowl -- and Smith is finally talking about his mind when he saw Clowney heading right for him.
In an interview with ESPN, Smith said he really didn't feel the hit. In fact, he told reporters the hit looked worse than it felt.
"Oh yeah, it did," Smith said to ESPN. "I saw it and was like, 'Dang.'"
However, Smith also said there was nothing he could do to stop Clowney from barreling down on him as he did in the now famous YouTube clip.
"I saw it coming and I couldn't do anything about it," Smith said. "When
Devin gave me the ball, he was looking behind him so he didn't even
see. He looked back and he handed me the ball as I was making my
pocket."
When asked about the coverage the hit has gotten, Smith says he got numerous text messages from friends and family members asking how he was doing.
However, despite the hit, which was called a "car crash" by Gamecocks wide receiver Ace Sanders, Smith was not injured in the play.
As a result of the play, momentum swung wildly back to South Carolina, and the Gamecocks would win the game 33 - 28.
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Gamecock defensive end Jadeveon Clowney delivers a big hit to Michigan running back Vincent Smith in 2012. (Source: TheBigSpur)
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