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This from Pete Fiutak CFB News - aka 847 Badgerfan

Oklahoma At Home Will Mean Everything
 It won’t exactly have the same nuclear energy burst like Florida State showed in its win over Alabama, or what Miami was like in the big victory over Notre Dame, but after two losing seasons in three years, this is a program and a fan base about to burst.

America, Meet Oklahoma Sooners Quarterback John Mateer
 He was arguably the best player in the transfer portal this offseason. He can run, make big plays down the field, and he showed it all off in the 35-3 win over Illinois State in the opener.

 It was Week 1, so things weren’t always smooth, but Mateer came up big, hitting 30-of-37 passes for 392 yards and three scores, and he ran for a touchdown. Making life easier is a Sooner receiving corps with real, live wideouts who are healthy enough to play - that wasn’t the case last year.

 Underwood will be great, but he’ll have a few freshman moments on the road to screw things up a bit. Both quarterbacks will be good, but both defenses will be better. Oklahoma’s defense will look and play like a Brent Venables defense that was waiting for this.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/41152488/what-targeting-ncaa-rule-college-football

How does the NCAA define a 'defenseless' player?
The NCAA defines a defenseless player as follows:

• A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass, and that includes "an offensive player in a passing posture with a focus downfield"

Ok, so the QB was considered "defenseless". 

Officials use instant replay to determine whether the targeting call on the field was correct. Officials look to see:

• If the player leaves their feet to launch themselves at an opponent
• If the player crouches before making a tackle to create maximum force
• If the player leads with their helmet, shoulder, forearm, fist, hand or elbow to attack with forcible contact the head or neck area of an opposing player
• If the player lowers their head before making a tackle and makes forcible contact with the crown of the helmet

A replay must confirm targeting. A targeting call is upheld if a player leads with the crown of their helmet regardless if a player is defenseless.

And the player led with his helmet (not the crown). You can see him drop his head as he makes the tackle. The first contact between the players was helmet to helmet contact. 

So two factors must be present if the crown of the helmet is not involved as it wasn't here; defenseless player and attack with forcible contact the head or neck. 

Looks like targeting to me. 

He went facemask to facemask which is helmet to helmet.  It's going to get called every time, at least when it comes to a defender attacking a quarterback in drop-back posture.

Is it annoying that a penalty not called on the field, can be originated by a replay?  Yeah, sure.  Is it for the safety of the players?  Also, yes.

But this one is still tough for me-- if the defender drops his body to bring his helmet down toward the QB's chest, then two problems can arise-- first, simple physics dictate that the defender's head is still likely to slide up the QB's body as the QB falls backward, and head to head contact will almost inevitably still be made. This is something we see often, and we see it called targeting often.  Second, the defender really has no choice but to take his eyes off the ball, and will lose his chance at recovering a fumble, deflecting a pass, or any of the other stuff he's supposed to do.

So effectively what the rules are legislating, is that a defender probably can't sack a QB in this type of scenario, without drawing a penalty and/or losing track of the ball.

Can we please turn every thread into a Michigan-Ohio State thread instead of a Texas-Ohio State thread?  Thanks in advance...

We could but FF and 847 keep pointing out Texas had to up and leave a once great conference - Bastages 

it's a retarded rule and needs to be done away with. 

Barham got in trouble for the crime of being 6'3"+ and tackling a QB who is a lot smaller than he is. 


https://twitter.com/PatrickBattle18/status/1961992336927334911

it's a retarded rule and needs to be done away with.

Barham got in trouble for the crime of being 6'3"+ and tackling a QB who is a lot smaller than he is.

bend your back, get your pad level down

it's a retarded rule and needs to be done away with.

Barham got in trouble for the crime of being 6'3"+ and tackling a QB who is a lot smaller than he is.


https://twitter.com/PatrickBattle18/status/1961992336927334911

Apparently my definitely of "launch" is different. Definitely contact up high and as someone that has titanium screws in his dome, I fully understand protecting of the head, but this is not what "targeting" should be protecting against. Just a good football tackle.. unless this is flag football.