Targeting in college football has gotten a huge update.
The targeting rule is designed to protect players from getting absolutely jacked up, but it certainly has been controversial at times. Now, review will play an even bigger role. (RELATED: July Is The Final Month Of 2019 Without College Football)
The NCAA announced the following Tuesday, according to 247Sports:
Beginning in the fall in games using video review, instant replay officials will be directed to examine all aspects of the play and confirm the targeting foul when all elements of targeting are present. If any element of targeting cannot be confirmed, the replay official will overturn the targeting foul. There will not be an option for letting the call on the field ‘stand’ during a targeting review — it must either be confirmed or overturned.
Three targeting calls on a single player in a year could also now result in a one game suspension.
I’m glad the NCAA is changing targeting rules. There shouldn’t be an option for the play just standing when it comes to targeting. If a young man is going to get tossed, then the evidence damn-well better be overwhelming.
If not, then the player should be allowed to stay in the game. The whole idea of letting a bad penalty call stand because they can’t overturn it on replay is atrocious.
For once, it seems like the NCAA has finally made a good decision.
Of course, this one rule change doesn’t wash away the awfulness that is the NCAA in general. The sports authority body is mostly a joke, but it’s not really one anybody finds funny.
However, we should still tip our cap when the NCAA does something that’s good for football.
Now, we’ll have to see how this all plays out in the coming season, and whether any players are spared an ejection from a really bad targeting call on the field.
For as much as I hate the NCAA, they finally did something correct. It’s hard to believe, but the facts are the facts.