The NCAA has officially approved the new ejection for targeting rule. Therein lies the rub.
One area of concern, though, is how exactly to define the targeting of a defenseless player and how different officiating crews may interpret the NCAA’s own definition. In an attempt to alleviate some concern on that front, the oversight panel accepted the rules committee proposal that any targeting penalty be subject to immediate video review. The release states that “[t]he replay official must have conclusive evidence that a player should not be ejected to overturn the call on the field,” which of course brings additional subjectivity into the mix.
A bug for some, a feature for Penn Wagers.
Get The Picture 
Wouldn’t common sense dictate the opposite– That a replay official should have conclusive evidence that a player DID target someone before they can be ejected?
I mean seriously, how can you have conclusive evidence that someone didn’t mean to do something?
Unbelievable.
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Exactly right, the weight should be on ejected a player to stop one bone-headed ref from hiding behind the rule, or take his personal dislike for a player/coach/team out in a gutless attempt to hide behind the safety issue. I think everyone wants any overt targeting to be called but the plays I have seen already indicate any high hit is subject to a flag, and now an ejection for a game+. I hope the review requires a unanimous concurrence that the play involved obvious targeting in an attempt to take a player out. Between 15 yard penaties for light head touches on QBs, tackling anyone within 5 yards of the sideline, and tackles above the numbers I fear any good defensive play we make until the field is scanned for laundry. Officials in many crews apply these judgements so far to the extreme athletes don’t have to be guilty of the rule infraction, just somewhere close to the line. Football, pro and college, needs to make a corrective move toward the past before we lose a significant part of the game. That can be done while setting high safety standards, draw a firm line but make sure we don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
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This is gonna take long before big game, player ejected on borderline/bad call, and CONSPIRACY!
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You are guilty until proven innocent, that sounds like the NCAA.
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The problem really is the whole defenseless player thing. I guess the NCAA just cares about WR’s and passing QB’s. Targeting any player should be a foul if you want to stop this. When Ala hit Murray during a return off an interception that was ok but the way he was hit was illegal. Any illegal hit to an out of the play player even clipping or block in the back should be called. I’m not saying you should eject but I would have ejected the Vandy center for for his clip for sure.
The big trouble for the SEC is the no call on obvious spearing (see LSU, UF etc.) When we play in bowl games where they call them correctly we (SEC)are going to get some guys ejected.
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Spot on 69. The no-call is the real problem. That allows the field refs to call things one-sided. The TV ref ought to have to authority to over-rule a bad call (and it should be conclusive evidence that the player DID target a defenseless player-not the other way around) but the TV ref also ought have the authority to call it from the booth even when the field refs haven’t. Penn Wagers and Marc Curles will have a field day with the rule the way it is now.
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Did anybody understand the blocking rule?? Is it just for lineman now????
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I’m waiting for some enterprising QB who, while running the ball, slows down as if to go out of bounds. When all of the defensive players stop (because they can’t touch a QB if he’s going out of bounds), he tiptoes down the sideline for a long one. It will be particularly effective if it’s his teams sideline.
The hitting out of bounds rule is over-enforced and is generally called because officials are intimidated by certain coachs. This is one area where CMR is deficient, but it comes with his persona…which I’ll take over a fireball like Muschamp (not that he intimidates, but he tries).
Mistakes will always be made. I can accept mistakes (exception..Sank’s non-fumble against GT)…..Bias ( a gentle word for cheating) I can’t accept (AJ’s celebration call against LSU in SECCG).
Each coach in the SEC should have the opportunity to “strike” certain refs from officiating a game…much as a lawyer can stike jurors. Maybe three strikes per season…Maybe this would promote more fair and balanced officiating. Wonder who CMR would strike…if anyone
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I suspect that the same refs would get stricken a lot by multiple teams. Penn Wagers? Best I can tell everybody hates him. Mark Curles? Same.
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I vote for yellow and red cards.
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