SJB - Targeting Rule discussion

Hercules said:
I can see the Targeting penalty, just not the disqualification.

I don't think this call was made because SJB made helmet-to-helmet contact. This was called because he led with the crown of his helmet, which he did - he's gotta keep his eyes up.
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This

 
That's the problem with this rule - targeting can be really subjective.

The biggest problem with this rule, however, is the ball carrier takes a lot of blame in some situations. For example, a player got ejected earlier in the season (I believe he was from Oregon) for targeting. If you watch the replay, the defender went low to make a tackle and the ball carrier (a QB) began to slide to avoid the hit, and it happened at almost exaclty the same time. The defender had no physical way of changing his trajectory, hit the QB hard and got ejected for targeting. It was total BS because the they both began to make their respective football moves at the same time, and had the QB stayed upright, it would have been a clean tackle.

I didn't think SJB's hit was particularly egregious. Of all the "targeting" hits I've seen, and all the hits from previous years that they're trying to do away with, I would only rank his maybe two or three on a scale of 10. The problem is he led with the crown of his helmet towards another player's helmet.

 
PaulCrewe said:
knapplc said:
The thing that probably annoys me the most about these penalties - and now Stanley's ejection - is that our opponents aren't getting called, just us. Eric Martin remains the only player in Big XII history to be suspended a game for an on-field hit. Kenny Bell makes a textbook block in the CCG and gets flagged - and TD gets called back. Now Stanley Jean-Baptiste gets booted from a game.
But the Huskers aren't the only team leveling crushing blocks and tackles. Martinez has been blasted more times than I can count - far worse than Stanley hit that Purdue guy. Where are all the flags for those hits? Kenny Bell was leveled twice against Michigan last year, no flag.

It's not a matter of "the refs are out to get us." I don't believe that and I'm not purporting that. What I'm saying is, they're simply not calling the game equally. And that sucks.
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Cue the "its because Bo is an a$$ to the officials on the sidelines" crowd
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Yep. Here I was thinking a 44-7 win would allow for a pleasant and derpless next couple weeks, but it appears that knapp has decided to the open door wide for em.

 
Watching an NFL game yesterday and the DB dove into the WR's legs (knees) resulting in an injury. IMO, this will start to happen more and more in college and the NFL. Can't hit high because of targeting so they go low and blow out the guys knees.

 
knapplc said:
The thing that probably annoys me the most about these penalties - and now Stanley's ejection - is that our opponents aren't getting called, just us. Eric Martin remains the only player in Big XII history to be suspended a game for an on-field hit. Kenny Bell makes a textbook block in the CCG and gets flagged - and TD gets called back. Now Stanley Jean-Baptiste gets booted from a game.

But the Huskers aren't the only team leveling crushing blocks and tackles. Martinez has been blasted more times than I can count - far worse than Stanley hit that Purdue guy. Where are all the flags for those hits? Kenny Bell was leveled twice against Michigan last year, no flag.

It's not a matter of "the refs are out to get us." I don't believe that and I'm not purporting that. What I'm saying is, they're simply not calling the game equally. And that sucks.
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Completely agree.

 
Although it sucked for him to get ejected and I wouldn't want to see it happen in a close or bigger game, I have no problem with it because that hit set the tone for the rest of the game and all of the other players stepped up big time.

 
NUance said:
Mavric said:
Posted in another thread but here is a screen grab. Kind of blurry but you can see SJB's helmet hit the Purdue player's facemask.
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Can't really tell much from the photo above. But the gif below makes it look more like SJB hit with the shoulder. To me anyway. LINK

nebraskatargeting_medium.gif


The Purdue RB's head didn't even snap back. That was a total bullsh#t call if you ask me.
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I honestly don't know how a player is supposed to tackle in that situation other than he needed to wrap up. If he wraps up, he probably doesn't draw the flag even though it wouldn't have changed anything as far as safety of the players.

You have to be consistent as a ref so the players know how to play. Shortly after this play, we had another player (#1) make a very similar play. The only difference was his angle of attack was more from the back of the RB instead of from the side so the hit didn't look quite as violent. Helmets touched just about the same amount on both plays.

 
I think another thing that's nailing people on these targeting calls is the tacklers aren't wrapping up with their arms. I think that if player were lowering their bodies (like SJB did) and going for a wrap-up tackle as opposed to one where they lower the shoulder pad to knock the guy down by force (like SJB did) it would look less aggressive.

But, when you come flying in and are obviously going for one of those tackles-by-force that we so often see, it looks like you're trying to target.

 
It doesn't help that SJB is a man and hit a child, a 5'9" 175 lb. freshman.

 
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SJB was trying to knock the ball loose with a hit and i was positive the ejection was going to be overturned. The receivers head didn't even appear to move.

My biggest problem with the whole targeting thing is the inconsistency of it all. They either care about concussions or they don't. Start calling all the helmet-to-helmet blows or stop it for all but the worst offenses like spearing and leading with the crown.

 
This rule sucks. I know player safety is very important but it is ruining football. He should not have been ejected for this hit. A player should only be ejected if it is obvious the player is trying to hurt the offensive player. and in SJB's case that's not true. The defensive player is going to end up getting hurt trying to tackle the offense in an awkward way.

 
As sh**ty as it is to say, I think that the refs got this one right.

Don't hate the call, hate the rule. Which I understand the emphasis on the new rules, but they are garbage. If someone like a Randy Gregory gets tossed out of a game like Michigan or Northwestern for something like this I will be beyond pissed off.

 
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