Former NFL official weighs in on college football proposal for targeting

The powers that be in college football have proposed a few rule changes for the upcoming season, and former NFL official Terry McAulay breaks down the changes. In all, McAulay addresses six rule change proposals, but none are bigger than the one for the most controversial call in all the football, targeting.

Targeting has been a polarizing rule for both the professional and collegiate levels in football. The main reason it exists is to protect participants of the game from significant damage and injury to their head and spinal cord. On the other hand, it has drawn the ire of programs and fans alike, because of the severity of the punishment for a targeting call. But according to McAulay, a change in the punishment process is on the way.

The proposed change to the rule is as follows:

“Targeting – For the first time, the rules will allow an appeals process in games with Instant Replay. Conferences may submit targeting ejections committed in the 2nd half of games to the National Coordinator (NC). Should he determine there was no targeting foul, the player is reinstated for the 1st half of the next game,” wrote McAulay.

McAulay sees good in the proposed change for targeting

A player who is flagged for targeting is ejected from the game and essentially is suspended for one game. If ejected in the first half, they are ruled out for the entirety of that game. And if they are ejected in the second half, they are to miss the first half of the next game. Now, if the proposed rule change is approved, players will have a chance to reenter the game. If there are ejected in the first half and the ejection is overruled, they can return after halftime. And if the ejection comes in the second half, unfortunately, they will still have to sit out the remainder of the game; however, if overruled, they will be able to play in the first half of the following game. For McAulay, this proposed change is a step in the right direction for college football.

“ This is a good step toward minimizing punishments for players who did nothing wrong. I think the trend will be for all but the most egregious fouls to be appealed. I also think a few cases will come with enormous pressure from the submitting Conference for the NC to reverse. Should be interesting,” wrote McAulay. “Note, he is employed by a group comprised of all Conferences.”

With the proposed idea of waiting until either halftime or the end of the game to contest the targeting injection with a national coordinator, the process will not slow down or disrupt the flow of the game. And allowing another set of eyes to make a final determination, similar to the NFL’s replay review process, goes a long way towards getting the call correct.