Crimson Red Sports

(http://cdn1.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1831771/bamatargeting_medium.gif)

No way this was a foul, the "call on the field" was reversed, but the 15-yard penalty remained.

Everyone keeps saying the rule needs to be reviewed after the season.
It needs to be changed now!

 >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

I agree it needs to be changed now but I do not think they will change the rule mid-season.

The rule really does need to be addressed but it won't happen until after the season ends.  They need to change it to where if the replay booth overturns the targeting part of it then the penalty goes away too unless it accompanies another penalty such as pass interference.

On that play last night I actually thought the Ole Miss player should have been the one to get flagged.  If you notice as he is lowering his head he actually leads with the top of the helmet, spearing?

I agree with all of you, I can't believe a team is punished for no foul at all. ???

The 15-yard targeting foul has been around for that last 4 years or so.  That isn't new, only the ejection portion of the penalty.  However, they seem to be throwing it "when in doubt" this year and then letting the replay booth sort it out, but teams are still getting hosed out of the 15 yards because the refs are flag happy.

Agree that is should be changed now, but no way it happens mid-season.

I am glad that at least they can review and overturn the ejection.  But Alabama's been screwed twice in four games when the refs saw a hit that looked like it might've, could've, possibly been targeting and threw the flag with the end result being the other team getting 15 yards for what last year would not have been a penalty.

Yesterday's call was particularly bad because A) Jackson had no idea whether or not the receiver was going to catch the ball when he lunged for the tackle and B) the Ole Miss player fell down towards him when he was already going in for the tackle - low, not high.

Just another step in the "chickification" of football.

^THIS^ is the problem.  If they are going to err on the side of targeting, then there will be a lot of bad calls -- two already on Bama in two big games.  The review does not address the "when in doubt" aspect of the call, which is supposedly a safety thing.  While I have no problem with protecting player safety, the only way to allow a "when in doubt" call should also allow review of the entire penalty.

If the booth is involved, and every play is already reviewed, why not just leave targeting completely in the hands of the guys in the booth?  If there's a big hit that might be targeting give them some time to make a judgment and then determine if there's a penalty and ejection.

:lol:
I thought that word involved a cat!

Or a cow.

Best hope on this rule is that at some point the complaints from coaches/AD's and some bad press results in the rule being suspended for the remainder of the season.  No way was this targeting by the Bama player and the 15-yarder is unfair.

I heard you chanting at the stadium yesterday when they made that call.  :lol:

We knew you were, along with Preacher, that's why we were yelling "Pull sit!" :lol2:

:lol2:  I heard that.  It happened!   :unsure:

I thank you and yes you know I was all in. I pull with my heart and pray against injuries for anybody either way. That is my 1st and 2nd concerns, because I know Alabama will win. lol, RTR!

I'm glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read this. :rofl:

Like I said earlier this is a disservice to a team.  What is going to happen when this cost a team a game?  Say for instance a team is down to a 4th down play and the call is targeting.  They review and allow the player to stay in but the team still gets the 15 yard penalty which puts them in field goal range.  Now they win the game by kicking the field goal when the game would have been over because it was not targeting.

I agree, there is a lot of old school mentality still left in the rules committee and it does nothing to help the game.

I have seen games where a flag was picked up and waved off after a conference between the refs.  Could they not do the same thing after the review overturns the targeting foul?

I'm guessing a bit here, but I think it works like this. 
Targeting is (currently) a 2-step call:

1. Flag is thrown when defenseless player is hit.  Not reviewable, ref's discretion, 15-yard penalty.
2. Review examines closely to determine whether head-to-head contact was made by defender (using helmet as weapon).  Player is suspended from play if guilty.