Ryan Carter reacts to targeting hit from Florida State’s Emmett Rice

Clemson cornerback Ryan Carter was on the wrong side of a brutal targeting hit from Florida State’s Emmett Rice on Saturday night.

The hit came at the end of a punt return in the third quarter and Carter was fairly far away from the ball and wasn’t going to make a tackle.

Rice then caught Carter when he wasn’t looking with a ruthless hit to the head and then stood over him celebrating as Carter laid on the turf.

Rice was then ejected from the game for the hit, but he didn’t seem to mind.

Cameras caught the linebacker smiling as he exited the field and even made a “put him to sleep” gesture towards the booing crowd.

To an already depleted secondary, Carter being out of the game almost proved to be costly after Florida State scored 14 unanswered points.

Dabo Swinney said that play was “as bad as you are going to see.”

Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said that he didn’t believe Rice’s hit was intentional and that he spoke to him about his actions.

But today, we got to hear from Carter for the first time since a concussion held him from coming back to the game.

At first, Carter didn’t realize he was hurt until he was being helped off the field. He described the moment as “scary.”

““It was really foggy, really fuzzy at first,” Carter said Tuesday. “When I was in the tent, they were explaining to me what just happened and it took me a minute to understand what exactly just took place. I think after I got in the locker room and started relaxing, it all started coming back and making sense. It just happened so fast that I didn’t realize what happened.”

Carter said he went back and saw the hit, and the celebration, and noted that both weren’t really necessary.

“I don’t really think I was as close to the play. I wasn’t near the ball or wasn’t about to make a tackle so I don’t feel like he had to go to that extent of hitting me like that. I think he could have just hit me in the shoulder, or lower, and it might have been a better outcome. I guess it is kind of part of football.

“I think when you go a little bit too far, that’s when people start asking questions and start raising eyebrows. I thought it was a little bit uncalled for.”

This week as Clemson prepares to face The Citadel, its number one concern is getting everyone back healthy before a championship run.

“I got to get with Danny (Poole) and get with the doctors and see what they think is best for me,” Carter said. “As of right now, I think I feel ok. It’s up to them ultimately. We’ll see going forward. I’m not really sure how it will go as far as practice.”