fellow from Boise State (i.e., the initial assailant; aka, "The Instigator") decided that the BYU player looked helpless enough that he might be able to get away with a significantly late hit, employing the helmet, then try to pull the ball, which had been secured for a relatively long period of time, away from the BYU player, who for some reason was not appreciative of the attention he was getting from the aforementioned young fellow from Boise State, and who proceeded to give the simpleton a gentle warning, via a mild tap on the thigh, that it was in his best interest to cease and desist.
The Instigator should be grateful for the long-suffering patience and deep benevolence of the BYU player.