(11-09-2013 11:01 PM)North Carolina Knights Wrote: I hope Houston fans are not upset on the targeting call. That was the pure definition of the rule
Per the NCAA football rulebook:
9.1.3. No player shall target and initiate contact against an opponent with the crown (top) of his helmet.
9.1.4. No player shall target and initiate contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder.
Per the rules, targeting should only be flagged when a player either (a) uses the top of his helmet or (b) initiates contact with the head or neck region of a defenseless opponent.
If you re-watch the play, the Houston defender turned the front of his body away from Perriman and initiated contact with his shoulder (rule 9.1.3. would therefore not apply). Additionally, contact was initiated in the chest region, not the head or neck. Secondary contact between Perriman's facemask and the helmet of the Houston defender did occur, but the rule explicitly states that targeting only applies to when contact is initiated (i.e. secondary contact doesn't matter).
The hit as violent and did result in an unfortunate injury, but on the flip side, it was not targeting and should not have been flagged as such by the officials. The fact that a player was hurt on the play is why the flag was thrown. You have to remember refs are reviewed on how they call games and since the NCAA has put a special emphasis on targeting penalties this year, the refs are much more likely to throw bogus flags than not. This isn't the first bonus targeting call flagged this year and it probably won't be the last as long as the refs are being instructed to throw flags for anything even remotely resembling targeting.
(11-09-2013 11:04 PM)UCFKnights Wrote: So he threw it to be safe, but when reviewed agreed it was a targeting penalty. How again is that a bad call?
That is not actually how the penalty works. From the NCAA rulebook:
"Penalty - 15 yards. For dead-ball fouls, 15 yards from the succeeding spot. Automatic first down for fouls by Team B if not in conflict with other rules. For fouls in the first half: Disqualification for the remainder of the game. For fouls in the second half: Disqualification for the remainder of the game and the first half of the next game. If the foul occurs in the second half of the last game of the season, players with remaining eligibility shall serve the suspension during the first game of the following season. The disqualification is subject to review by Instant Replay."
In other words, the only thing the replay booth can review is the player-disqualification portion of the penalty. The point of initial contact and use of the crown of the helmet are reviewable; however, the targeting action itself is not actually reviewable. So even if the disqualification is reversed, the 15-yard penalty remains.
The mere fact that you cannot fathom how regardless of what was seen on replay would have no outcome on the call shows us that you are stubborn, and a poor winner.
