Absolutely 💯 percent correct the offensive player is causing a lot of that extra contact on most of those plays but it was a few hits that were flat out blatant
In literally 90% of these the offensive player lowers their head. You CANNOT expect the defensive player to aim for the knees every tackle. This is honestly ridiculous to watch. Great Video man
Take off the helmet and im pretty sure guys will stop leading with there heads. No one uses there head in rugby as first contact as you will injury yourself, shoulder and wrap up really isn't hard.
@@chillzzz3513 Yeah but would you rather get a concussion and be back in weeks or would you rather have knee ligaments torn and be out for a year or maybe for your career.
BigBoy D yeah but I mean if they let u keep getting hit to the head it will cause ur brain to be damaged severely plus will effect u later on plus could cause death if u had brain problems and didn’t know or u did
@@chillzzz3513 Yeah but that is the price you pay from playing a collision sport plus those hits don't happen all that often plus every hit you take or give will have some damage anyway.
These are why I taught my LBs to always Rugby Tackle....then DBs when I coached them....and this was Semi Pro Football in Europe. Aim for the waist, head to either side, and you are good to go. We never had an ejection (from bad hits....we did have 1 ejection due to our MLB allowing opposing OLmen to get in his head during a Championship Game) in those 8 years and better yet, we never had any concussions and we never caused any. That #12 from Pitt was the victim of the Duke Receiver lowering his head, otherwise there would have been no contact to the head. There needs to be more emphasis on stopping ball carriers...as well as QBs....lowering their heads just before impact. To me that's just as dangerous as a Tackler lowering his head and striking with the crown....like Shazier did a few seasons back with the Steelers.
You do realize the reason players lower their heads when they are about to be hit is instinct? This is because you lower your own center of gravity and make it more possible to either survive the hit or slip the tackle. As an offensive player that is how you avoid taking more damage as well, as your head and body doesn't fall from as high up as if you were standing straight up, not to mention the posture also usually ensures the butt or base of the back will hit the ground first rather than a shoulder head or neck (This is why blindside hits are an issue as players cannot get into this defensive posture in time). When people keep saying players who lower their heads are the issue, it frustrates me. The helmet should not be used as a weapon on offense or defense, but I want you to try and run a 40-yard dash or another similar activity while keeping your head upright, it will prove to be much less effective than if you did the same while lowering your head. It's how our bodies function, you can hate the rule all you want, and in my opinion parts of it need to be changed to ensure the helmet is used less offensively, but we shouldn't be blaming offensive or defensive players for lowering their head to make a play or keep themselves safe, all that should be punished is hitting people with the crown of the helmet, offense or defense.
if the defender is already committed to the tackle and the ball carrier decides to give himself up, it's not the defender's job to pull up. the defense has to play with their ears pinned, but also watch out for ball carriers that take advantage of the rules. you can't win as a defender in today's game. and if it's not caught in real time, don't go back to replay and look for a flag.
That's by design. They want high scoring games that are geared to offenses favor. That's why a WR can shove and push to get open in todays game but the defender can't simply put his hand on the back of a WR while going for the ball. Hell might as well turn on WWE at this point their hits are more real than Football.
@@martinmccormick2166 nope. Football would be sued into oblivion if they didn’t stop this. Literally covering up and hiding the facts that using your head as a weapon will directly lead to severe brain issues with a significantly increased risk of life shortening elements with a large desire to kill oneself.
@@brianschaffer9220 You must never have torn a ligament before. I would honestly take multiple concussions over a torn ACL any day, especially as an Athlete. Torn ACL’s ruin careers.
@@Hydrant_Hero brain injuries screw up your entire life. But yeah, let's be more worried about an injury that, at worst, messes up your walking, and possibly can be corrected...
@@Hydrant_Hero You must have not realized that hitting on the head/neck can create whiplash strong enough to snap the neck. Yeah, let's risk paralysis or death. Good idea.
@@wilfordfootball79 That was actually the right call. Although he delivered the hit with his shoulder, it was to the head or neck area. Any time a player delivers a hit to the head or neck area, that is targeting and has grounds for disqualification.
Is that first one really targeting? Its obvious none of the refs thought so...they wanted to make the call from the office. There was two refs right on top of the call and didn't thow a flag
Not targeting in my opinion. By the rules wording it is targeting but when you watch the play Trevor Lawrence lowered his head causing Wade to hit him in the head. If Lawrence stayed up that would have been a clean hit straight to the midsection. I firmly believe they need to look at the offensive player as well in the replays. A lot of times if the offensive player doesn't lower their head then it's a clean hit.
Shouldn't be an ejection too much flying around and such. Why can't they just sit for a drive or a quarter even? Make it the second time an ejection maybe?
@@mrglass1637 targeting is not just hitting someone in the head. Targeting is any contact made with the crown of the helmet. If he lowered that helmet and Trevor didnt(it was an instinctual reaction anyway not on purpose) it wouldve still been targeting
I won’t even understand this game in a few more years. Growing up playing the game, most of these were football plays. I thought targeting was supposed to eliminate the missile style launch tackle that has taken over. Not to eject some kid making a play on the ball carrier who is allowed to lower their helmet and initiate contact but if the defender does it he not only gets penalized but ejected. They are gonna teach kids to blowout the legs and that’s not much better.
Jake N Bake dude same I miss the old days where college athletes could absolutely rail someone right in the noggin or lead with their head into a tackle 👏 brain damage and possible spinal injuries are overrated who needs a properly working brain or a fully functioning spinal cord anyway
David 1298 no I miss the old days when football players were warriors. When you could touch the QB and not get ejected. Before players were taught to launch like missiles at each other. I played when we actually TACKLED the ball carrier. Sure there were injuries but it’s football, there will always be contact. First they start selling pink jerseys to you fruitcakes and before you know it they have changed the game to an almost unrecognizable point in just 15-20 years.
@@david-bo2mo Dude, if you don't want to get injured, don't play the game, it's that simple. Of the hits shown, how many of the defenders were actively trying to injure the opposing player. I'm gonna say MAYBE one or two. Most if the others, they're turning trying to lead with their shoulder, but there's another person who's also moving. It's not always a defenders fault when he goes helmet to helmet. It can also be the quarterbacks fault for hanging his receiver out to dry or even the receiver when they conveniently turn/duck into the hit. Idk how a 6'6" DB is supposed to hit a guy who's 6' if it's not in the head.
Nathan Schlenker if you shoot someone trying to injure them but they end up dying it’s still murder just because you tried doing something that ended up having consequences you didn’t intend because of some other factor doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still be punished for it
@@whywhyerson9910 don’t be dumb . They wanna lower the target so you’ll get those injuries. I don’t mind seeing hits up top🤷🏾♂️ besides you can clearly see a “target call” when the player launches his helmet. Some are incidental and still penalized.
The issue I have with targeting is the list of "indicators" for targeting to me seem to be as follows: 1. Did the player who received the hit immediately appear injured in anyway regardless of the type of injury? 2. Did the defensive player celebrate the hit? 3. Actual targeting indicators such as leaving ones feet, leading with the crown of the helmet, impact to the opposing players helmet etc... Don't get me wrong, targeting is serious and needs to be treated as such. I'm absolutely not against targeting rules. But actual targeting indicators don't appear to me to be the primary keys to a targeting penalty being called. I also don't really blame the refs. The problem is the rule and, more importantly, how it is written. There is far too much room for interpretation.
Spearing with the helmet was always illegal in the rule book..they just stopped calling it years back, kind of like the NBA refs and traveling. that rule never changed but it went from 2 steps to however many steps you need to make it look good. You shouldnt be able to use the crown of your helmet to spear anyone- granted its hard to stop when moving that fast and the offensive player is ducking- helmets will collide, thats never going to stop. Shoulder use should be good everywhere in my opinion.
K Pasa you are taught at a young age to lower your head to protect yourself as a defender, but to move you head to the side so that you hit them with your shoulder. Helmet to helmet should be a flag, unless the offensive player ducks down into it. But there is a difference between the player tucking to protect themselves, ducking to try and go through you and ducking to slide or go down.
@@trueterror3099 I get it...no argument here- other than your taught to lower your head as a defender...you're never taught that if someone has a clue what they are teaching. You're taught low man wins, not duck your head and lower it
It’s insane how in college football the refs will eject players for anything and everything, but NFL refs refuse to throw flags except at the worst times. The officials are by far the weakest part of all sports, they all are just too scared.
@@marshalllogan2368 DING DING DING finally someone got it! Yes the NFL is scripted, if they actually let these players play and make the refs be neutral and not make bad calls on PURPOSE then things would go so differently. F'k the NFL
The NFL, as with College and even at the High school level officials are coached what they are to be looking for and what they want called and what they don’t. In the NFL I have never seen targeting called on an offensive player. I’ve seen it called in College but it wasn’t called on a ball carrier. At the High school level while it is called on the defense more, I have seen it called on the offense as well, including on ball carriers. Personally I don’t blame the referees. Those officials are graded each game. The administration over the officials are instructing them on what they want to see called and not called. Anything outside of their set parameters gives them a down grade. I think they are putting the bigger responsibility on the defense because it takes the judgement out of the call. As it is, for the referee they’re not really judging if the runner lowered late. It’s just a matter of where was the contact and with what? Now is that fair for the defense? Not usually. However if the defense knows this going in, and they would lower their target zone to the belt line and not lead with the crown of the helmet they would see the number of targeting calls go down significantly.
@@nahhfam7678 Agreed that tackles should be made heads-up, but things happen way too quickly for the defensive player to react and adjust to a split-second pad drop.
Nahh Fam it’s pretty hard for anybody to react that quickly. A lot of the time the defender has already committed to the tackle when the ball carrier ducks
The targeting calls are getting out of hand, and then in college it takes "clear and convincing evidence" in order to overturn the dumbass refs call. They are now just calling it on any hard hit.
Everyone of these hits are perfectly legal and this rule will kill the sport. So they might as well put flags on these players and stop contact football completely.
I love how a majority of these "targeting" calls come from the offensive player ducking down and bracing for impact, targeting is the most bullshit thing to have been brought to football imo it ruins the game
Just to add, while I understand the importance of a good targeting call, the amount of times that a bullshit targeting call is called its just doesn't balance out. Remove targeting so players are not afraid to hit and maybe institute a new separate call that is only used for blatant and non arguable targeting
@@ImBackHEHEHE that’s just football man 14 years ago I seen a guy get hit so hard his helmet flew off and went 15 yards I enjoy the old school football before this bs
There are plays when I ask how the officials expect the defender to make any play. The one you mention is one of those. Another is a targeting call against Kentucky when they played Florida. Similar situation. QB drops head forward all but diving forward. If the defender lets up, he is getting juked or bowled over. Also, did you see the offensive linemen holding AND hands to the face?
sheldy86 I’m a Bucks fan so I am biased, but that game was so poorly officiated for OSU it still hurts. OSU didn’t play perfect by any means, but the refs kept Clemson in the game on multiple bad calls.
@@kelleyboy3 Yeah, I think LSU would have still won the title, but as an Iowa fan that was among the most furious I have ever been about a game that didn't involve my team. Sadly, I think some crews actively try to swing games so that certain conferences or media stuff will benefit.
I hate that first play being Targeting. I can't stand Ohio State, but they only hit helmet to helmet because Lawrence ducked. Wade had no control over that. He didn't launch into his head intentionally. He was aimed at his shoulder and going for a wrap up. Terrible call.
targeting was called because Wade lowered his head and made contact with the crown of his helmet, watch the video again and see where Wade is looking at the point of contact, it wouldn't matter if LT hadn't tried to protect himself, Wade would have still made contact up high with the CROWN of his helmet, is his head looking at LT when he contacts?? no, he is looking down, BAD TECHNIQUE, watch some of Wade's other videos, he ALWAYS lowers his head and it with the crown, this time it cost him
@@davidrooks3274 it wasn't called...there was two refs right on top of it and no flag was thrown...the call was made in the booth because of who it was and how it looked
@@kylew.4896 there are a LOT of targeting calls that are called from the booth, why? because they have the advantage of replay, it still doesn't change the fact that Wade lowered his head and made helmet to helmet contact with the CROWN of his helmet, this was a GOOD targeting call, watch some of Wades other videos, you will see he ALWAYS lowers his head, this tie he got caught
I don’t know about Wade getting called, but Chase Young’s lucky he didn’t get ejected for the literal chokehold takedown he did at the end of that play.
@@wiscy4306 that I can agree with, people here talk about targeting requiring intent, it doesn't, but LT could have had a career ending injury because of Chase, that actually looked like he was trying to injure
Well, the total decrease in that year was to improve the consistency of the targeting foul because the NCAA implemented back in 2019 a replay process for targeting; it required the instant replay official to re-evaluate or re-officiate the play as a whole in the instant replay monitors. They were looking for whether or not the player getting hit was either defenseless or not, next they would ensure that there is a clear indicator of targeting (launching, leading with the helmet, lowering the head, and attacking), finally, they would check for forcible contact (if the hit was forcible).
I get that the rule exists for player safety, but I don't understand how it's meant to be followed. A lot of these hits are just happening too fast. You can't run full out, launch yourself, and then change your movement mid air in a fraction of a second. Once these guys launch, that's it. And people keep calling out the ones getting hit for lowering their heads. That's just a reflex. You lower your shoulder and your head, and your arms come in to absorb the impact. Unfortunately that reflex happens after it's too late for the tackler to change their momentum.
In the portion of the video with Paris Ford's ejection, I recognized the voice of the lead announcer. His name is Dave O'Brien and his primary job is lead announcer for Boston Red Sox games on New England Sports Network.
I agree with you thats also on the offensive players because your just increasing the risk when you lower your head at a defender coming full speed at you
Dorian B it doesn’t matter if the shoulder does the hitting if it’s the head of the opposing player getting hit. They are trying to minimize head injury.
Targeting is such a controversial rule. Sometimes it was clearly a targeting call, other times, it’s in the gray area. It all kinda depends on the refs
They've changed it so much that it's now basically any time the offensive player ducks, the defensive player is thrown out of the game. Doubly so if the offensive player is a QB. Triply if he's a star QB. There used to be more elements of intent to it, like "launching" yourself at a receiver, or hitting a defenseless player.
@@dylanthomas4370 That doesn't matter if they get hit in the chest and the shoulder. If the defender leads with the crown of the helmet, that is textbook definition of targeting.
I disagree that it was a bad call. It was helmet to helmet. When that happens, it is almost always a targeting penalty with an ejection that follows. It was the right call.
Yo if the offensive player looks at the defender and lowers their body like Trevor Lawrence did, then that should not be targeting. There's nothing Shawn Wade could have down moving at full speed like that.
I'd like to think there should be an amendment to the rule of targeting: If the offensive player ducks their head, and thereby causes the defensive player to hit the offensive player in the helmet, either both or neither should be ejected. Id lean on the side of neither.
The first two plays in this video are why I disagree with the rule. If the offensive player lowers their head when the initial contact by the defender would have been legal otherwise. There should either be no penalty, or the penalty should be on the offensive player since it is the offensive player at that point who is initiating the helmet to helmet contact. The rule as it stands is biased.
this is why you are wrong, targeting is called usually when a receiver is catching a ball, he is looking at the ball, the defensive player is looking at the offensive player, which means he has longer to react, if the defensive players would STOP using their helmets to hit with there would be no targeting, the offensive player is ALLOWED to protect themselves
David Rooks broooooo ur trippin Ford hit him with his shoulder. He didn’t lower his head at all. The reciever lowered his head so what was Ford suppose to do not make the takle
@@davidrooks3274 If a player is able to assume a defensive posture (ie. defending himself) he is not defenseless. The act of lower you helmet into a defensive player initiating helmet to helmet contact when he would at best have hit you in the ribs means you are not defending rather you are attacking. The first two plays of the video that is exactly what the offensive player did. Deliberately aiming for the head and neck particularly when the opposing player is in a position of vulnerability, or can not see you is what this penalty is supposed to protect against. If your going to call it on every play where head to head contact is made then it needs to apply to offensive players as well. How many times have you seen an offensive player lower their head to initiate contact when a defender is hip level yet they don't get called for targeting. "THE RULE AS ENFORCED IS BIASED".
First 2 shouldn't have been called. There was no launch. If you start calling targeting without a launch, by the letter of the law you will not have enough players to man teams. Head to head contact happens every week. Sometimes it's weird the one's they call.
Gage Jernigan they’re garbage rules. The truth is u can’t draw a line with these thing so in my opinion if someone isn’t blatantly speaking into another players head then all hits like these should be legal
noname that’s the issue.... some players are going for the big hit regardless of where the Offensive player gets hit.... but on the flip side.... Ed McCaffrey and a lot of other players give themselves up too late and it somehow falls on the defender to pull up and keep from making that offensive player pay the toll.... and a lot of times, it’s all just angles and instinctual reactions that put players in bad positions to get hurt... Defense is a lot harder to play when it comes to the officiating.
@K A apples and oranges buddy. If a quarterback is sliding down the defensive player MUST back off. Theres no reason to play dirty if you do then get off the field simple as that.
I still cannot believe that they called targeting on shaun wade. Trevor Lawrence clearly ducked his head. And another reason why they called targeting was because he laid down acting like he was hurt. That was not targeting and thats what changed the game.
Plenty of bad calls in this video, but the Lawrence one was definitely correct. Defender had a stationary target and still managed to go helmet to helmet.
Bolby Ballinger, you mean by Lawrence lowering his head? When you're a safety and going for a tackle full speed, if the qb lowers his head while you're going for his torso, it's bound to be a helmet on helmet collision. Nothing the safety could've done while going that fast trying to make a tackle. The targeting calls as a whole were a joke and glad they adjusted them for this year on out.
@@zacharyhewlett4648 You do realize the reason players lower their heads when they are about to be hit is instinct? This is because you lower your own center of gravity and make it more possible to either survive the hit or slip the tackle. As an offensive player that is how you avoid taking more damage as well, as your head and body doesn't fall from as high up as if you were standing straight up, not to mention the posture also usually ensures the butt or base of the back will hit the ground first rather than a shoulder head or neck (This is why blindside hits are an issue as players cannot get into this defensive posture in time). When people keep saying players who lower thier heads are the issue, it frustrates me. The helmet should not be used as a weapon on offense or defense, but I want you to try and run a 40-yard dash or another similar activity while keeping your head upright, it will prove to be much less effective than if you did the same while lowering your head. It's how our bodies function, you can hate the rule all you want, and in my opinion parts of it need to be changed to ensure the helmet is used less offensively, but we shouldn't be blaming offensive or defensive players for lowering their head to make a play or keep themselves safe, all that should be punished is hitting people with the crown of the helmet, offense or defense.
I understand about the offense lowering their heads but that is protection mode not attack. If they are in an attacking position then yes they should be called for targeting as well
There are two types of people who would disagree. Clemson homers and people who hate Ohio State. Everyone else can see it. It made what was otherwise a great game unwatchable.
It’s like the balk in baseball. There are rules but it’s basically at the umps discretion so they decide live what is a balk and what isn’t. Just like targeting.
I think the players don’t understand that if it’s either your head or shoulder as long as there is contact to the head it’s targeting any head contact Is targeting if it’s on purpose or is avoidable and they don’t try and avoid it
i think CFB should remove targeting. Physical plays shouldn’t be punished. there’s no sport like football so why punish it’s unique features. but targeting should be in use for cheap shots. that’s in the name. you targeting the player to cheap shot them. an example is CEH vs Oklahoma. that’s Targeting.
Whats amazing about the targeting calls in the Clemson and Ohio State game was that none of them were called on the field. Which really tells you what you need to know.
As someone who knows little about American Football and even less about the subtle differences between the college and pro game I’m slightly baffled by some of these. I can understand that there’s a need to protect younger players and ensure that head / neck injuries are avoided as much as possible but isn’t the sport a contact sport? I can’t understand how the game can continue every safely when so many defensive players must end up getting ejected. Don’t you end up losing your best defensive players so those who step into their places will be less experienced / less adept / out of position and as such you increase the likelihood of injury? Attacking players know that all they have to do is drop their head, lean into a challenge and they’ll keep picking up 15yds and getting opponents ejected. That’s not a habit you want them to take into the pro game, surely they’ll just get flattened?
i’m not a fan of Ohio State but i like that Shaun Wade was hyping up his teammates before he left the field instead of complaining about his ejection which was controversial
It’s just like hockey now, when u go to hit someone and then turn there back and u got thrown out for hitting from behind, both players equally contributed to the hit
Well, Pittsburg's #12 just ended his NFL hopes with ONE cheap hit. It's how a great sportsman loses that shows their measure. That tantrum says it all. Pro teams don't want that liability.
By rule it was because Lawrence ducked into it last second. They do it on purpose when they're screwed to try to draw the flag. Until the offense is penalized for obviously trying to draw the flag, this will lead to more injuries.
Still dirty either way since he knew the QB was gonna slide... two defenders infront of him and he was already in the stance to slide and he still dove for the tackle.
( 1:30 ) As far as football goes in America. We my as well just take off the pads and play 2-hand-touch. This a ridiculous call!!!! American Intermediary 8/8/23
@@michaelkirshner3099 the funny thing is, if the Clemons QB DIDN'T lower his his head, chase would not have to grab so low and pull him like that, the irony of that is by Trever tring to get a call he put his heath in real danger where if wade head him tighter chase could have snapped him all around or broke his leg.. just man up and take the hit or toss the ball i hate how QB get treated like babies, its the only thing making me hate football
By rule the Ohio state one is a targeting, it’s just unlucky as hell, they need to be able to take into account what the offensive player was doing, if Lawerence doesn’t duck that’s an absolutely amazing hit the middle of the body
That's what needs to be changed ots all defenses fault when sometimes if the offensive player didn't lean head first into it it wouldn't have been helmet to helmet
Gotta understand that you can only go so low like when ur playing that fast trying to break a pass up ur not gonna be thinking “ oh lemme make sure to hit his waist as he’s divebombing “
I feel like this is one of those cases where extra protection makes people act recklessly. Just make them play without helmets. They'll stop leading with the head soon enough, one way or another.
“Safety” gear is more often than not “Unsafe” gear. Prime example: MMA gloves. They protect the delicate hands, allowing full power punches to the head. Or Boxing gloves. Again: protecting hands so more force can be delivered to head. When a punch power meter tested bare fists , MMA gloves, and boxing gloves, the boxing gloves hit hardest. The same principle in football. Helmets allow harder and more dangerous hits. They’re a weapon. If you take away fight gloves and helmets, then the players are much more careful to not hurt themselves in the process.
You will never be able to convince me that guys are leading with there crown, full well knowing that their arms are going around to try to wrap up. 6:40 for example. He was obviously trying to wrap the quarterback, but he slid so awkwardly. Also there was no intention to target there as compared to others
That was the worst targeting call I’ve seen in a while. Ended up sparking a comeback from Clemson. Game changing call that was absolutely awful. Like apparently defenders can’t make someone feel a hit anymore. Like what’s next, defenders can’t hit the QB at all because they might be sore the next day? Terrible call.
@@mrsaturdaytm7558 but they are at a higher risk of concussion if targeting is never enforced bc defensive players will do what they want and intentionally try to take people out
Good calls. Coaches need to change how they teach tackling, training players not to go for the head, not to use the crown of their own helmet as a weapon. Read Wikipedia on CTE to see the long term effects. Worse even than other banned tackling moves, like clotheslining. It is killing former players in their 40s, 50s and 60s.
He was clearly aiming for the chest and Lawrence lowered his head. Not targeting, unfortunate accident. Targeting should only be called when it's blatantly clear the player was attempting to hurt another player.
@@Kana-vx2ec he lowered his head, about 6", it WAS targeting because he led with the crown of his helmet, and no, targeting doesn't require you to be actively trying to hurt the player, it's called for using bad technique, which is what this was, you should NEVER lead with the crown of the helmet, this would have been targeting even if the hit was at the shoulders, why?? crown of the helmet
@@davidrooks3274 He bends completely over. 6'' ? No way. Any the CB's crown never even makes contact with Lawrence if he doesn't bend over. His crown would go completely to the front of him. This was a garbage call, championed by soft fans.
I really hate how some of these announcers stand by the crappier calls and it just highlights how faulty reviewing for targeting is in general. A good example of it is the Kentucky vs Toledo game. Notice how the announcers don't immediately start commenting on the legality of the hit, even after the runner's helmet comes off, and instead focus on how big it was. It seems like they don't even realize that he started sliding until after they had noticed the flag on the play. It's only after they start looking at the slowed down replay that they say that the defender shouldn't have made that hit. "It's bang-bang, sure. But that's-" Nope. Stop right there. Because that's exactly the point. You're only making that judgement because you're looking at a slowed down replay with hindsight. Try looking at it in real time. It takes time to process what you're seeing in front of you. And by the time you may be able to notice the runner is giving himself up, the defender had already committed to a tackle. You didn't even notice that until you looked at a replay. I don't know if you've ever tried stopping yourself from running to avoid a collision at a moment's notice, but it is HARD. Even moreso when your entire job revolved around said collisions. You absolutely cannot judge him for that.
First clip lol. Really shows that a player can get away with faking lol. Like I understand a hard hit but acting like you passed out from it is rough... then running off like your perfectly fine
Alternate audio from the first clip: Referee: after further review there is no penalty on Ohio state...also, from this day forward no matter what ohio states record is, they will ALWAYS be included in the CFP playoffs.
The people making these rules have never played football. They don't understand that, because of the pace, sometimes hits like this happen. It should only be a penalty if it's blatantly clear the offending player was trying to cause injury, Odell hitting Norman comes to mind as one of the most obvious. Give the people in control a helmet and have them walk around in it all day, maybe they'll realize just how much they impede your vision and make it impossible to adjust after you've committed to a tackle.
there doesn't have to be intent, "I didn't mean to" doesn't change the fact that it was an illegal hit, and FYI, a lot of the people making the rules and the refs DID play football, targeting was made to reduce injuries, teaching the players proper tackling techniques would keep the from getting these calls, maybe, just maybe someone should teach them not to use their helmet as a weapon??
@@davidrooks3274 There's a reason there's a difference between manslaughter and murder. An accidental targeting call should never hold the same as one in which the player was clearly trying to cause serious injury. You're an idiot if you think otherwise. Immediate ejection? Cool, if it was intentional and the player was trying to cause injury. 10-15 yard personal foul? Cool, handing those out will reduce reckless tackles.
@@Kana-vx2ec once again, targeting doesn't have to be intentional, and your belief that intentional and unintentional are different is asinine, you would then leave it up to the refs, who you are complaining about now, to determine if it was intentional or not, stupid is and stupid does, am guessing your middle names are "is" and "does"
@@Kana-vx2ec how about doing this, teach the players NOT to use their helmets to hit with, ESPECIALLY when they hit with the crown, you clearly have never played the game and had someone drive the crown of their helmet into the side of your head
He lowered his body to take on the incoming DB. Sean Wade is 6'1" Trevor Lawrence is 6'6", If Lawrence doesn't make that move there is no targeting called.
100% wrong. He had a clear run and a responsibility to avoid Lawrence's head at all costs. That was one of the most obvious calls I've ever seen. I cannot fathom someone saying that's a clean hit.
@@colingordon5950 And I can't fathom someone being stupid enough to believe that a 200lb guy is gonna A.) Be able to somehow change his momentum mid tackle or B.) Just know the QB that is 1/2 ft taller than you to lower himself low enough that you hit him in the head when you yourself lowered. All aboard the bandwagon train amiright
@@colingordon5950 100% Moron statement. The db lowers himself to make a legal tackle and the QB buckles like a bitch before there is any contact it's not the DBs fault anymore! Not sure how to explain it any clearer than the rest of the world already has.
@@chbgator2226 the db does WHAT??? LOWERS himself....meaning leading with the head. Had he kept the crown of his helmet UP, he wouldn't have committed a penalty. So basically you're making an excuse for awful tackling technique by claiming falsely that it's the offensive players fault. So do you also blame knives for stabbing people?
@@imperator7136 You think its about what team I root for? Wow. Talk about reaching for material. Don't be intellectually dishonest. When you have 15 yards of a free run at someone, you should know you're going to need to adjust right before impact. Unless of course your IQ isn't above 45 and you don't understand motion and physics. Thats why you don't lead with the crown of the helmet....... But it's about being a bandwagon fan?
@@timcolby1876 I hear ya my friend. I think that if every NFL defensive player in the league went on strike & protested in the form of just standing there after the ball is snapped, allowing the offense to score untested. That might put an end to this bullshhh that we are all witnessing in football today. What do you think, do u think that might put an end to this? I think that the only way that it would have a real chance of working is if every player, I mean every single defensive player in the NFL would have to participate in order for it to possibly work. Otherwise, the NFL would just fire the players that participated. & Then just replace them. Some of these targeting calls are putting defensive players in harm's way. Most people who know football & have played the game. They know that besides spearing, hesitation while tackling is the most common reason that's behind why players get hurt. Most of these targeting calls that I see the officials make. They aren't even considering that momentum might be the cause. The officials have completely refused to take that into account. & This has resulted in alot of players being penalized for tackling & doing what they have been taught to do in a football game their whole life. American Intermediary 8/8/23
An example of a bad call is ( 2:58 ) I mean seriously, what should have the defender done here? Should have he not touched the receiver at all, just stopped & watched him run by & then try & arm tackle him? I would like to ask the ref, " what else could have he done here "? The worst par about all of this though, Is that most of the broadcasters, they are backing most of this nonsense up. The ref call bad calls & then the announcers act like it was the right call. Its crazy but I know that they just want to keep their jobs and thats why most of them are doing this.
This year they need to really take into account the offensive player that’s lowering their own head. That’s dangerous in itself.
Absolutely 💯 percent correct the offensive player is causing a lot of that extra contact on most of those plays but it was a few hits that were flat out blatant
Yess
Phoenyx 787 fr bro
@@Halfcocked1222 a 6'5 QB in a full squat is about 3 feet above the ground, but go off
That's an instinctual reaction that does not warrant a flag
In literally 90% of these the offensive player lowers their head. You CANNOT expect the defensive player to aim for the knees every tackle. This is honestly ridiculous to watch. Great Video man
Yeah but u can’t lead with ur head and clash into his head I get what u saying but I mean it’s still head to head contact
Take off the helmet and im pretty sure guys will stop leading with there heads. No one uses there head in rugby as first contact as you will injury yourself, shoulder and wrap up really isn't hard.
@@chillzzz3513 Yeah but would you rather get a concussion and be back in weeks or would you rather have knee ligaments torn and be out for a year or maybe for your career.
BigBoy D yeah but I mean if they let u keep getting hit to the head it will cause ur brain to be damaged severely plus will effect u later on plus could cause death if u had brain problems and didn’t know or u did
@@chillzzz3513 Yeah but that is the price you pay from playing a collision sport plus those hits don't happen all that often plus every hit you take or give will have some damage anyway.
These are why I taught my LBs to always Rugby Tackle....then DBs when I coached them....and this was Semi Pro Football in Europe. Aim for the waist, head to either side, and you are good to go. We never had an ejection (from bad hits....we did have 1 ejection due to our MLB allowing opposing OLmen to get in his head during a Championship Game) in those 8 years and better yet, we never had any concussions and we never caused any. That #12 from Pitt was the victim of the Duke Receiver lowering his head, otherwise there would have been no contact to the head. There needs to be more emphasis on stopping ball carriers...as well as QBs....lowering their heads just before impact. To me that's just as dangerous as a Tackler lowering his head and striking with the crown....like Shazier did a few seasons back with the Steelers.
If they are going to eject players for hitting in the head, then they need to eject players for ducking.
Norman Hopkins or penalize them, because the defense/offense can’t do anything about that
i agree
The helmet is so bulky with both collide, the defender is just gonna catch the blame regardless...
Honestly, you don’t want to get hit in the head the don’t dip your shit into the defenders shoulder
You do realize the reason players lower their heads when they are about to be hit is instinct? This is because you lower your own center of gravity and make it more possible to either survive the hit or slip the tackle. As an offensive player that is how you avoid taking more damage as well, as your head and body doesn't fall from as high up as if you were standing straight up, not to mention the posture also usually ensures the butt or base of the back will hit the ground first rather than a shoulder head or neck (This is why blindside hits are an issue as players cannot get into this defensive posture in time). When people keep saying players who lower their heads are the issue, it frustrates me. The helmet should not be used as a weapon on offense or defense, but I want you to try and run a 40-yard dash or another similar activity while keeping your head upright, it will prove to be much less effective than if you did the same while lowering your head. It's how our bodies function, you can hate the rule all you want, and in my opinion parts of it need to be changed to ensure the helmet is used less offensively, but we shouldn't be blaming offensive or defensive players for lowering their head to make a play or keep themselves safe, all that should be punished is hitting people with the crown of the helmet, offense or defense.
if the defender is already committed to the tackle and the ball carrier decides to give himself up, it's not the defender's job to pull up.
the defense has to play with their ears pinned, but also watch out for ball carriers that take advantage of the rules. you can't win as a defender in today's game.
and if it's not caught in real time, don't go back to replay and look for a flag.
led with head down, obvious targeting
That's by design. They want high scoring games that are geared to offenses favor. That's why a WR can shove and push to get open in todays game but the defender can't simply put his hand on the back of a WR while going for the ball. Hell might as well turn on WWE at this point their hits are more real than Football.
@@martinmccormick2166 nope. Football would be sued into oblivion if they didn’t stop this. Literally covering up and hiding the facts that using your head as a weapon will directly lead to severe brain issues with a significantly increased risk of life shortening elements with a large desire to kill oneself.
These calls r “keeping ppl safe” until defenders can’t hit with the body without targeting so they start going for the legs. Torn acls every damn week
Exactly
They want them to go low but that’s just going to end a players season
Torn ligament vs brain injury...hmmmm
@@brianschaffer9220 You must never have torn a ligament before. I would honestly take multiple concussions over a torn ACL any day, especially as an Athlete. Torn ACL’s ruin careers.
@@Hydrant_Hero brain injuries screw up your entire life. But yeah, let's be more worried about an injury that, at worst, messes up your walking, and possibly can be corrected...
@@Hydrant_Hero You must have not realized that hitting on the head/neck can create whiplash strong enough to snap the neck. Yeah, let's risk paralysis or death. Good idea.
Y’all remember Jadeveon Clowney’s hit on the Michigan RB? An amazing highlight play which today would get him 15 yards and a suspension
The hit heard around the world
Today Clowney would have immediately been handcuffed after that hit and been charged with a crime...
3:44 the cop laughing at him yelling 🤣🤣🤣
That because cop know is bullshit that why he laughed everyone know call was bullshit
@@wilfordfootball79 That was actually the right call. Although he delivered the hit with his shoulder, it was to the head or neck area. Any time a player delivers a hit to the head or neck area, that is targeting and has grounds for disqualification.
Call sucked
Is that first one really targeting? Its obvious none of the refs thought so...they wanted to make the call from the office. There was two refs right on top of the call and didn't thow a flag
He lowered the crown of the helmet and made contact to Lawrence's head, by rule that's targeting
Not targeting in my opinion. By the rules wording it is targeting but when you watch the play Trevor Lawrence lowered his head causing Wade to hit him in the head. If Lawrence stayed up that would have been a clean hit straight to the midsection.
I firmly believe they need to look at the offensive player as well in the replays. A lot of times if the offensive player doesn't lower their head then it's a clean hit.
Shouldn't be an ejection too much flying around and such. Why can't they just sit for a drive or a quarter even? Make it the second time an ejection maybe?
@@raywhichway1790 true
@@mrglass1637 targeting is not just hitting someone in the head. Targeting is any contact made with the crown of the helmet. If he lowered that helmet and Trevor didnt(it was an instinctual reaction anyway not on purpose) it wouldve still been targeting
I won’t even understand this game in a few more years. Growing up playing the game, most of these were football plays. I thought targeting was supposed to eliminate the missile style launch tackle that has taken over. Not to eject some kid making a play on the ball carrier who is allowed to lower their helmet and initiate contact but if the defender does it he not only gets penalized but ejected.
They are gonna teach kids to blowout the legs and that’s not much better.
Jake N Bake dude same I miss the old days where college athletes could absolutely rail someone right in the noggin or lead with their head into a tackle 👏 brain damage and possible spinal injuries are overrated who needs a properly working brain or a fully functioning spinal cord anyway
David 1298 no I miss the old days when football players were warriors. When you could touch the QB and not get ejected. Before players were taught to launch like missiles at each other. I played when we actually TACKLED the ball carrier. Sure there were injuries but it’s football, there will always be contact.
First they start selling pink jerseys to you fruitcakes and before you know it they have changed the game to an almost unrecognizable point in just 15-20 years.
@@david-bo2mo Dude, if you don't want to get injured, don't play the game, it's that simple. Of the hits shown, how many of the defenders were actively trying to injure the opposing player. I'm gonna say MAYBE one or two. Most if the others, they're turning trying to lead with their shoulder, but there's another person who's also moving. It's not always a defenders fault when he goes helmet to helmet. It can also be the quarterbacks fault for hanging his receiver out to dry or even the receiver when they conveniently turn/duck into the hit. Idk how a 6'6" DB is supposed to hit a guy who's 6' if it's not in the head.
Nathan Schlenker if you shoot someone trying to injure them but they end up dying it’s still murder just because you tried doing something that ended up having consequences you didn’t intend because of some other factor doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still be punished for it
@@david-bo2mo So, why not just penalize everyone who injures someone? Your analogy is terrible
I feel like players are going to start targeting other players legs.
Yup gruesome ass leg injuries. Like them lil ass kneepads gonna stop a blow from a 200lbs guy.
@@RunRandolphRun what’s next they aren’t allowed to tackle them at all?
@@whywhyerson9910 don’t be dumb . They wanna lower the target so you’ll get those injuries. I don’t mind seeing hits up top🤷🏾♂️ besides you can clearly see a “target call” when the player launches his helmet. Some are incidental and still penalized.
@@RunRandolphRun I was just joking. I was just making a point that targeting is just a overall dumb thing to have
Might as well play flag football
At 3:07 number 27 got so hyped until re realized that the ejection was on his team😂
Put flags on them or play 2 hand touch. These players today wouldn't last 1 series if they played in the 70's, 80's or 90's.
The issue I have with targeting is the list of "indicators" for targeting to me seem to be as follows:
1. Did the player who received the hit immediately appear injured in anyway regardless of the type of injury?
2. Did the defensive player celebrate the hit?
3. Actual targeting indicators such as leaving ones feet, leading with the crown of the helmet, impact to the opposing players helmet etc...
Don't get me wrong, targeting is serious and needs to be treated as such. I'm absolutely not against targeting rules. But actual targeting indicators don't appear to me to be the primary keys to a targeting penalty being called.
I also don't really blame the refs. The problem is the rule and, more importantly, how it is written. There is far too much room for interpretation.
Spearing with the helmet was always illegal in the rule book..they just stopped calling it years back, kind of like the NBA refs and traveling. that rule never changed but it went from 2 steps to however many steps you need to make it look good. You shouldnt be able to use the crown of your helmet to spear anyone- granted its hard to stop when moving that fast and the offensive player is ducking- helmets will collide, thats never going to stop. Shoulder use should be good everywhere in my opinion.
K Pasa you are taught at a young age to lower your head to protect yourself as a defender, but to move you head to the side so that you hit them with your shoulder. Helmet to helmet should be a flag, unless the offensive player ducks down into it. But there is a difference between the player tucking to protect themselves, ducking to try and go through you and ducking to slide or go down.
@@trueterror3099 I get it...no argument here- other than your taught to lower your head as a defender...you're never taught that if someone has a clue what they are teaching. You're taught low man wins, not duck your head and lower it
It’s insane how in college football the refs will eject players for anything and everything, but NFL refs refuse to throw flags except at the worst times. The officials are by far the weakest part of all sports, they all are just too scared.
I think the NFL is script
@@marshalllogan2368 No, college level refs are trying to work their way up to being professional ones, which is why they're stingy on a lot of calls.
@@Horible4 wow this comment is very underrated. I never thought of it that way.
@@marshalllogan2368 DING DING DING finally someone got it! Yes the NFL is scripted, if they actually let these players play and make the refs be neutral and not make bad calls on PURPOSE then things would go so differently. F'k the NFL
The NFL, as with College and even at the High school level officials are coached what they are to be looking for and what they want called and what they don’t. In the NFL I have never seen targeting called on an offensive player. I’ve seen it called in College but it wasn’t called on a ball carrier. At the High school level while it is called on the defense more, I have seen it called on the offense as well, including on ball carriers.
Personally I don’t blame the referees. Those officials are graded each game. The administration over the officials are instructing them on what they want to see called and not called. Anything outside of their set parameters gives them a down grade. I think they are putting the bigger responsibility on the defense because it takes the judgement out of the call. As it is, for the referee they’re not really judging if the runner lowered late. It’s just a matter of where was the contact and with what? Now is that fair for the defense? Not usually. However if the defense knows this going in, and they would lower their target zone to the belt line and not lead with the crown of the helmet they would see the number of targeting calls go down significantly.
The offensive player always ducks to protect himself causing 90 percent of targeting fouls. Start ejecting the offensive players that lowers his head.
If you dip your head, you won't see the duck. If keep eyes up, you can adjust.
@@nahhfam7678 Agreed that tackles should be made heads-up, but things happen way too quickly for the defensive player to react and adjust to a split-second pad drop.
Nahh Fam it’s pretty hard for anybody to react that quickly. A lot of the time the defender has already committed to the tackle when the ball carrier ducks
The targeting calls are getting out of hand, and then in college it takes "clear and convincing evidence" in order to overturn the dumbass refs call. They are now just calling it on any hard hit.
Somebody get a hold of David Rooks, we got another "idiot" over here. 🤣🤣🤣.
Everyone of these hits are perfectly legal and this rule will kill the sport. So they might as well put flags on these players and stop contact football completely.
I agree. Defenses in the NFL should go on strike.
Lolllll
I love how a majority of these "targeting" calls come from the offensive player ducking down and bracing for impact, targeting is the most bullshit thing to have been brought to football imo it ruins the game
Just to add, while I understand the importance of a good targeting call, the amount of times that a bullshit targeting call is called its just doesn't balance out. Remove targeting so players are not afraid to hit and maybe institute a new separate call that is only used for blatant and non arguable targeting
@XzMattBonkerzX so if a player comes and hits a player so hard that he passes out he shouldn’t be accounted for it?
@@ImBackHEHEHE that’s just football man 14 years ago I seen a guy get hit so hard his helmet flew off and went 15 yards I enjoy the old school football before this bs
The game would be so much better if they just removed the ejection. The rule is dumb and has many flaws, but the ejection is dumber.
@maekklyn I see your point but they chose too play football expect to get hit hard every now and then
The Ohio one was not even targeting that call was bs and the whole game was bs
There are plays when I ask how the officials expect the defender to make any play. The one you mention is one of those. Another is a targeting call against Kentucky when they played Florida. Similar situation. QB drops head forward all but diving forward. If the defender lets up, he is getting juked or bowled over.
Also, did you see the offensive linemen holding AND hands to the face?
sheldy86 yes
idc what anyone says if ohio wins its bs
sheldy86 I’m a Bucks fan so I am biased, but that game was so poorly officiated for OSU it still hurts. OSU didn’t play perfect by any means, but the refs kept Clemson in the game on multiple bad calls.
@@kelleyboy3 Yeah, I think LSU would have still won the title, but as an Iowa fan that was among the most furious I have ever been about a game that didn't involve my team. Sadly, I think some crews actively try to swing games so that certain conferences or media stuff will benefit.
Players have been taught this since they began playing the game. It's PURE LAZINESS.
I hate that first play being Targeting. I can't stand Ohio State, but they only hit helmet to helmet because Lawrence ducked. Wade had no control over that. He didn't launch into his head intentionally. He was aimed at his shoulder and going for a wrap up. Terrible call.
targeting was called because Wade lowered his head and made contact with the crown of his helmet, watch the video again and see where Wade is looking at the point of contact, it wouldn't matter if LT hadn't tried to protect himself, Wade would have still made contact up high with the CROWN of his helmet, is his head looking at LT when he contacts?? no, he is looking down, BAD TECHNIQUE, watch some of Wade's other videos, he ALWAYS lowers his head and it with the crown, this time it cost him
@@davidrooks3274 it wasn't called...there was two refs right on top of it and no flag was thrown...the call was made in the booth because of who it was and how it looked
@@kylew.4896 there are a LOT of targeting calls that are called from the booth, why? because they have the advantage of replay, it still doesn't change the fact that Wade lowered his head and made helmet to helmet contact with the CROWN of his helmet, this was a GOOD targeting call, watch some of Wades other videos, you will see he ALWAYS lowers his head, this tie he got caught
I don’t know about Wade getting called, but Chase Young’s lucky he didn’t get ejected for the literal chokehold takedown he did at the end of that play.
@@wiscy4306 that I can agree with, people here talk about targeting requiring intent, it doesn't, but LT could have had a career ending injury because of Chase, that actually looked like he was trying to injure
Well, the total decrease in that year was to improve the consistency of the targeting foul because the NCAA implemented back in 2019 a replay process for targeting; it required the instant replay official to re-evaluate or re-officiate the play as a whole in the instant replay monitors. They were looking for whether or not the player getting hit was either defenseless or not, next they would ensure that there is a clear indicator of targeting (launching, leading with the helmet, lowering the head, and attacking), finally, they would check for forcible contact (if the hit was forcible).
It was cool that the Ohio State player was like this is obviously B.S but encouraged his team and had sportsmanship after the fact
Yeah Shaun Wades career has taken a dip though sadly. He was projected first round but now he’s slotted 73rd overall to the Jets for the 2021 draft.😔
Crown of the helmet into an ear hole. It’s a lot more targeting than a lot of them that are called.
dude how was that b.s? The dude literally led with his helmet?
Clemson was handed that game, poor Tracey took a hit and the whole SEC/ ACC refs came together for a common "fuck you" cause
He literally hit him helmet to helmet. That’s to a t the rule
How can you call targeting when the offensive player lowers their head?
Lol wonderful timing on the post
I get that the rule exists for player safety, but I don't understand how it's meant to be followed. A lot of these hits are just happening too fast. You can't run full out, launch yourself, and then change your movement mid air in a fraction of a second. Once these guys launch, that's it. And people keep calling out the ones getting hit for lowering their heads. That's just a reflex. You lower your shoulder and your head, and your arms come in to absorb the impact. Unfortunately that reflex happens after it's too late for the tackler to change their momentum.
They have to change it to contain flagrant levels as the NBA does
3:58 that cop was living his job at that moment lmao
In the portion of the video with Paris Ford's ejection, I recognized the voice of the lead announcer. His name is Dave O'Brien and his primary job is lead announcer for Boston Red Sox games on New England Sports Network.
is Kentucky the Saints of the NCAA? I feel like they're in an awful lot of these
I agree with you thats also on the offensive players because your just increasing the risk when you lower your head at a defender coming full speed at you
I am a die hard Pitt fan, and that call was bull. He hit him with the shoulder. Stupid
Dorian B it doesn’t matter if the shoulder does the hitting if it’s the head of the opposing player getting hit. They are trying to minimize head injury.
It doesn’t matter if it’s helmet to helmet or not, if you hit their head it’s targeting
Read the rule my guy. Launching into head or neck.
@@seamus1956 he made forcible contact to the head or neck area
Targeting is such a controversial rule. Sometimes it was clearly a targeting call, other times, it’s in the gray area. It all kinda depends on the refs
They've changed it so much that it's now basically any time the offensive player ducks, the defensive player is thrown out of the game. Doubly so if the offensive player is a QB. Triply if he's a star QB. There used to be more elements of intent to it, like "launching" yourself at a receiver, or hitting a defenseless player.
It all depends on how stupid the tackler is!!!!!
@@leifjohnson617 Grown ups are talking here, so calm down slowhead.
You are clearly a TROLL. LOL
All calls are subjective.
@@walterarrit5511 Yea,
subjective to the rules.
American Intermediary 9/20/23
I'm a michigan fan. And that ejection in the Wisconsin game was bogus on the Wisconsin player. I couldn't believe they confirmed it!!
Andrea Liskovec second one was targeting tho
Alot of these are bs there getting hit in the chest and shoulder
@@dylanthomas4370 That doesn't matter if they get hit in the chest and the shoulder. If the defender leads with the crown of the helmet, that is textbook definition of targeting.
I disagree that it was a bad call. It was helmet to helmet. When that happens, it is almost always a targeting penalty with an ejection that follows. It was the right call.
So the first clip the qb ducking can’t help him he was aiming lower than shoulder level but since he ducked he gets targeting or ?
Yo if the offensive player looks at the defender and lowers their body like Trevor Lawrence did, then that should not be targeting. There's nothing Shawn Wade could have down moving at full speed like that.
Of course the first one was the Ohio State - Clemson game. It’s so dumb. Ohio State was robbed, prove me wrong.
No need to prove you wrong because they lost. Ohio state stays getting robbed.
I felt that call changed the momentum of the game and was a key reason we lost
@Brandon what are they supposed to do give qb a hug and wrap them up in baby blanket launching should only be targeting the rule sucks
@Brandon How can a quarterback who is ducking still be in a passing posture?
Ha, you were already proven wrong at game time dumbass.
Everything is targeting nowadays, even when replay proves otherwise.
I'd like to think there should be an amendment to the rule of targeting: If the offensive player ducks their head, and thereby causes the defensive player to hit the offensive player in the helmet, either both or neither should be ejected. Id lean on the side of neither.
I agree. I've seen quite a few times where it looks like the ball carrier deliberately lowers his head to try and draw the targeting flag.
So the quarter back dips down into the defenders helmet/tackle and the defender gets targeting, wow.
The first two plays in this video are why I disagree with the rule. If the offensive player lowers their head when the initial contact by the defender would have been legal otherwise. There should either be no penalty, or the penalty should be on the offensive player since it is the offensive player at that point who is initiating the helmet to helmet contact. The rule as it stands is biased.
this is why you are wrong, targeting is called usually when a receiver is catching a ball, he is looking at the ball, the defensive player is looking at the offensive player, which means he has longer to react, if the defensive players would STOP using their helmets to hit with there would be no targeting, the offensive player is ALLOWED to protect themselves
David Rooks broooooo ur trippin Ford hit him with his shoulder. He didn’t lower his head at all. The reciever lowered his head so what was Ford suppose to do not make the takle
@@aidancamerota9524 do you even understand the rule?? you can NOT hit to the head, this means a shoulder is still targeting
@@aidancamerota9524 which targeting call are you talking about, let's make sure we are on the same page, talking about the same thing
@@davidrooks3274 If a player is able to assume a defensive posture (ie. defending himself) he is not defenseless. The act of lower you helmet into a defensive player initiating helmet to helmet contact when he would at best have hit you in the ribs means you are not defending rather you are attacking. The first two plays of the video that is exactly what the offensive player did. Deliberately aiming for the head and neck particularly when the opposing player is in a position of vulnerability, or can not see you is what this penalty is supposed to protect against. If your going to call it on every play where head to head contact is made then it needs to apply to offensive players as well. How many times have you seen an offensive player lower their head to initiate contact when a defender is hip level yet they don't get called for targeting. "THE RULE AS ENFORCED IS BIASED".
Targeting has become a joke. If it’s obvious, okay. If not, don’t change games bc of it.
Chase young probably saved Trevor Lawrence’s knee on that first clip. He was going down ugly until Young tackled him the other way.
True, that's a big sportsmenship, Shaun Wade couldve ended his career
First 2 shouldn't have been called. There was no launch. If you start calling targeting without a launch, by the letter of the law you will not have enough players to man teams. Head to head contact happens every week. Sometimes it's weird the one's they call.
Bro the first one was not targeting at all
I’m trying to figure out how the one on UGA was a penalty at all, more-less targeting
Some of these are just what happens in a football game. Crybaby calls.
It's not on the refs they're doing their jobs. The NCAA is the one making the rules that the refs are forced to enforce
Gage Jernigan they’re garbage rules. The truth is u can’t draw a line with these thing so in my opinion if someone isn’t blatantly speaking into another players head then all hits like these should be legal
Maybe you shouldn't lead with your head than. Also maybe you shouldn't cheap shot a defenseless player. Just saying. 🤷♂️
noname that’s the issue.... some players are going for the big hit regardless of where the Offensive player gets hit.... but on the flip side.... Ed McCaffrey and a lot of other players give themselves up too late and it somehow falls on the defender to pull up and keep from making that offensive player pay the toll.... and a lot of times, it’s all just angles and instinctual reactions that put players in bad positions to get hurt... Defense is a lot harder to play when it comes to the officiating.
@K A apples and oranges buddy. If a quarterback is sliding down the defensive player MUST back off. Theres no reason to play dirty if you do then get off the field simple as that.
At this rate, they should place a belt around their waist, add some flag to the belt, lose the pads/helmet and shorten the field……
Why i stopped watching college last year. I remember watching Florida and Miami i believe. Sooo many flags and targeting calls. Ridiculous
IF SOMEBODY IS ALREADY DIVING FOR A TACKLE AND THE QB SLIDES HOW TF ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO PULL UP IN TIME I DONT FUCKING GET IT.
I still cannot believe that they called targeting on shaun wade. Trevor Lawrence clearly ducked his head. And another reason why they called targeting was because he laid down acting like he was hurt. That was not targeting and thats what changed the game.
They called it because he led with his crown of his helmet. That's the first thing that touches TLaw.
Some of these calls were lousy.
This was the turning point. Bs call and Trevor Lawrence played it.
Plenty of bad calls in this video, but the Lawrence one was definitely correct.
Defender had a stationary target and still managed to go helmet to helmet.
No he wasn’t laying on the ground because he got targeted chase young twisted Lawrence’s body when he was making the tackle
@@papi3466 fr that's what Ohio fans don't mention
Bolby Ballinger, you mean by Lawrence lowering his head? When you're a safety and going for a tackle full speed, if the qb lowers his head while you're going for his torso, it's bound to be a helmet on helmet collision. Nothing the safety could've done while going that fast trying to make a tackle. The targeting calls as a whole were a joke and glad they adjusted them for this year on out.
@@zacharyhewlett4648 You do realize the reason players lower their heads when they are about to be hit is instinct? This is because you lower your own center of gravity and make it more possible to either survive the hit or slip the tackle. As an offensive player that is how you avoid taking more damage as well, as your head and body doesn't fall from as high up as if you were standing straight up, not to mention the posture also usually ensures the butt or base of the back will hit the ground first rather than a shoulder head or neck (This is why blindside hits are an issue as players cannot get into this defensive posture in time). When people keep saying players who lower thier heads are the issue, it frustrates me. The helmet should not be used as a weapon on offense or defense, but I want you to try and run a 40-yard dash or another similar activity while keeping your head upright, it will prove to be much less effective than if you did the same while lowering your head. It's how our bodies function, you can hate the rule all you want, and in my opinion parts of it need to be changed to ensure the helmet is used less offensively, but we shouldn't be blaming offensive or defensive players for lowering their head to make a play or keep themselves safe, all that should be punished is hitting people with the crown of the helmet, offense or defense.
I understand about the offense lowering their heads but that is protection mode not attack. If they are in an attacking position then yes they should be called for targeting as well
NCAA knee injuries about to skyrocket
The cop laughing at Paris Ford😂😂
That OSU call was trash. That whole game was handed to Clemson.
Ryan Waid that may be the most factual statement ever said
There are two types of people who would disagree. Clemson homers and people who hate Ohio State. Everyone else can see it. It made what was otherwise a great game unwatchable.
cry... cry baby
The call was correct and that’s clearly targeting. Ohio state fans just mad they lost . Go Clemson Tigers
@@logansimpson305 Correct, obviously. They are sad pathetic coping whiners
I don’t understand that’s his job I don’t see no targeting he to op that’s y 1:00
It’s like the balk in baseball. There are rules but it’s basically at the umps discretion so they decide live what is a balk and what isn’t. Just like targeting.
1:42-1:43 Ryan Day said it right, "Thats Bullsh*t"
How are they supposed to know the qb is sliding
Why even have defences on the field any more?
Why play brand the football business anymore?
I think the players don’t understand that if it’s either your head or shoulder as long as there is contact to the head it’s targeting any head contact Is targeting if it’s on purpose or is avoidable and they don’t try and avoid it
I wouldn’t mind playing offense now as soft as they make the defenses play now lol
i think CFB should remove targeting. Physical plays shouldn’t be punished. there’s no sport like football so why punish it’s unique features. but targeting should be in use for cheap shots. that’s in the name. you targeting the player to cheap shot them. an example is CEH vs Oklahoma. that’s Targeting.
Whats amazing about the targeting calls in the Clemson and Ohio State game was that none of them were called on the field. Which really tells you what you need to know.
I always thought the final score told you need to know.
@@Seattle-2017 that tells you who advances to lose to LSU. Nothing about targeting tho.
49-28
As someone who knows little about American Football and even less about the subtle differences between the college and pro game I’m slightly baffled by some of these.
I can understand that there’s a need to protect younger players and ensure that head / neck injuries are avoided as much as possible but isn’t the sport a contact sport? I can’t understand how the game can continue every safely when so many defensive players must end up getting ejected. Don’t you end up losing your best defensive players so those who step into their places will be less experienced / less adept / out of position and as such you increase the likelihood of injury?
Attacking players know that all they have to do is drop their head, lean into a challenge and they’ll keep picking up 15yds and getting opponents ejected. That’s not a habit you want them to take into the pro game, surely they’ll just get flattened?
at this rate, football is going to become a 2 hand non contact sport.
Weasel announcers talking about street thugs. Not playing professional games now as of 2024, maybe one or two guys.
i’m not a fan of Ohio State but i like that Shaun Wade was hyping up his teammates before he left the field instead of complaining about his ejection which was controversial
Why don’t they just change to playing flag football instead of tackle. Defensive players literally cannot do anything Physical on defense anymore!
It’s just like hockey now, when u go to hit someone and then turn there back and u got thrown out for hitting from behind, both players equally contributed to the hit
Well, Pittsburg's #12 just ended his NFL hopes with ONE cheap hit. It's how a great sportsman loses that shows their measure. That tantrum says it all. Pro teams don't want that liability.
That Ohio state one was not targeting
Yes it was
By rule it was because Lawrence ducked into it last second. They do it on purpose when they're screwed to try to draw the flag. Until the offense is penalized for obviously trying to draw the flag, this will lead to more injuries.
If the player is protecting his self, they are not defensless. The penelty was supposedly created to protect defensless players.
10:27 Impossible for a defender to stop a momentum tackle like this.
Blow out knees every single time and the rule will change. This nonsense has to stop.
Still dirty either way since he knew the QB was gonna slide... two defenders infront of him and he was already in the stance to slide and he still dove for the tackle.
@@enkica123 I seen the QB dodging and serpentine pattern weaving through the defense. Nothing in my head is telling me he’s gonna slide.
“You gotta come up” Lmfaooo shits retarded man
( 1:30 ) As far as football goes in America. We my as well just take off the pads
and play 2-hand-touch. This a ridiculous call!!!!
American Intermediary 8/8/23
This goes for pro & amateur.
Complete bullshit call against the Buckeyes. Trevor Lawrence was lowering/bending over and Shawn Wade was already committed and couldn't stop.
The most dangerous thing about the play was chase young coming in after the fact, and that was a perfectly legal hit
@@michaelkirshner3099 the funny thing is, if the Clemons QB DIDN'T lower his his head, chase would not have to grab so low and pull him like that, the irony of that is by Trever tring to get a call he put his heath in real danger where if wade head him tighter chase could have snapped him all around or broke his leg..
just man up and take the hit or toss the ball i hate how QB get treated like babies, its the only thing making me hate football
15 yard penalty and the player is disqualified for the remainder of the game
By rule the Ohio state one is a targeting, it’s just unlucky as hell, they need to be able to take into account what the offensive player was doing, if Lawerence doesn’t duck that’s an absolutely amazing hit the middle of the body
That's what needs to be changed ots all defenses fault when sometimes if the offensive player didn't lean head first into it it wouldn't have been helmet to helmet
Gotta understand that you can only go so low like when ur playing that fast trying to break a pass up ur not gonna be thinking “ oh lemme make sure to hit his waist as he’s divebombing “
I feel like this is one of those cases where extra protection makes people act recklessly. Just make them play without helmets. They'll stop leading with the head soon enough, one way or another.
I think that the penalty for targeting should include disqualification for the NEXT GAME.
the fix for all of this, get rid of the helmets.
Are you stupid or something?
Matthew Hall Are you stupid for thinking that it’s funny?
@@RedCard94 im serious... this aint a joke. no helmets dudes would not be leading with their heads.. rugby anyone?
“Safety” gear is more often than not “Unsafe” gear. Prime example: MMA gloves. They protect the delicate hands, allowing full power punches to the head. Or Boxing gloves. Again: protecting hands so more force can be delivered to head. When a punch power meter tested bare fists , MMA gloves, and boxing gloves, the boxing gloves hit hardest. The same principle in football. Helmets allow harder and more dangerous hits. They’re a weapon. If you take away fight gloves and helmets, then the players are much more careful to not hurt themselves in the process.
Ben Freeman I’m down for some rugby
You will never be able to convince me that guys are leading with there crown, full well knowing that their arms are going around to try to wrap up. 6:40 for example. He was obviously trying to wrap the quarterback, but he slid so awkwardly. Also there was no intention to target there as compared to others
First video wasn’t targeting
I didn't think so at first until they showed they other angle. Idk though most of these calls are bs
That was the worst targeting call I’ve seen in a while. Ended up sparking a comeback from Clemson. Game changing call that was absolutely awful. Like apparently defenders can’t make someone feel a hit anymore. Like what’s next, defenders can’t hit the QB at all because they might be sore the next day? Terrible call.
Great video, but can you please take the music out? It's very distracting... Thanks for the compilations!
Might as well give both college and the NFL flag football sets. Football is no longer football.
Speak💯 agree100%
Ok sure just give everyone concussions then
@@gagejernigan5277 not everyone gets concussions lol calm down soccer mom
@@mrsaturdaytm7558 but they are at a higher risk of concussion if targeting is never enforced bc defensive players will do what they want and intentionally try to take people out
@@gagejernigan5277 WICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN PART OF THE GAME these grown men KNOW the risks ECT ect I knew the risks when I played ECT ECT
Good calls. Coaches need to change how they teach tackling, training players not to go for the head, not to use the crown of their own helmet as a weapon. Read Wikipedia on CTE to see the long term effects. Worse even than other banned tackling moves, like clotheslining. It is killing former players in their 40s, 50s and 60s.
Can u tell me that was not targeting for Sean wade for the ohio state buckeyes
It wasnt. Trevor lowered his head.
He was clearly aiming for the chest and Lawrence lowered his head. Not targeting, unfortunate accident. Targeting should only be called when it's blatantly clear the player was attempting to hurt another player.
@@Kana-vx2ec he lowered his head, about 6", it WAS targeting because he led with the crown of his helmet, and no, targeting doesn't require you to be actively trying to hurt the player, it's called for using bad technique, which is what this was, you should NEVER lead with the crown of the helmet, this would have been targeting even if the hit was at the shoulders, why?? crown of the helmet
@@dre10blood he lowered his head about 6", but it was still a hit with the crown of the helmet, good call
@@davidrooks3274 He bends completely over. 6'' ? No way. Any the CB's crown never even makes contact with Lawrence if he doesn't bend over. His crown would go completely to the front of him. This was a garbage call, championed by soft fans.
I really hate how some of these announcers stand by the crappier calls and it just highlights how faulty reviewing for targeting is in general. A good example of it is the Kentucky vs Toledo game. Notice how the announcers don't immediately start commenting on the legality of the hit, even after the runner's helmet comes off, and instead focus on how big it was. It seems like they don't even realize that he started sliding until after they had noticed the flag on the play. It's only after they start looking at the slowed down replay that they say that the defender shouldn't have made that hit.
"It's bang-bang, sure. But that's-" Nope. Stop right there. Because that's exactly the point. You're only making that judgement because you're looking at a slowed down replay with hindsight. Try looking at it in real time. It takes time to process what you're seeing in front of you. And by the time you may be able to notice the runner is giving himself up, the defender had already committed to a tackle. You didn't even notice that until you looked at a replay.
I don't know if you've ever tried stopping yourself from running to avoid a collision at a moment's notice, but it is HARD. Even moreso when your entire job revolved around said collisions. You absolutely cannot judge him for that.
Flags for good defense.... smh
First clip lol. Really shows that a player can get away with faking lol. Like I understand a hard hit but acting like you passed out from it is rough... then running off like your perfectly fine
Alternate audio from the first clip:
Referee: after further review there is no penalty on Ohio state...also, from this day forward no matter what ohio states record is, they will ALWAYS be included in the CFP playoffs.
Do they want players to ruin knees legs that’s what’ll happen if they want players to tackle low
The people making these rules have never played football. They don't understand that, because of the pace, sometimes hits like this happen. It should only be a penalty if it's blatantly clear the offending player was trying to cause injury, Odell hitting Norman comes to mind as one of the most obvious.
Give the people in control a helmet and have them walk around in it all day, maybe they'll realize just how much they impede your vision and make it impossible to adjust after you've committed to a tackle.
14:00 is another example of a dirty hit. Completely egregious.
there doesn't have to be intent, "I didn't mean to" doesn't change the fact that it was an illegal hit, and FYI, a lot of the people making the rules and the refs DID play football, targeting was made to reduce injuries, teaching the players proper tackling techniques would keep the from getting these calls, maybe, just maybe someone should teach them not to use their helmet as a weapon??
@@davidrooks3274 There's a reason there's a difference between manslaughter and murder. An accidental targeting call should never hold the same as one in which the player was clearly trying to cause serious injury. You're an idiot if you think otherwise.
Immediate ejection? Cool, if it was intentional and the player was trying to cause injury.
10-15 yard personal foul? Cool, handing those out will reduce reckless tackles.
@@Kana-vx2ec once again, targeting doesn't have to be intentional, and your belief that intentional and unintentional are different is asinine, you would then leave it up to the refs, who you are complaining about now, to determine if it was intentional or not, stupid is and stupid does, am guessing your middle names are "is" and "does"
@@Kana-vx2ec how about doing this, teach the players NOT to use their helmets to hit with, ESPECIALLY when they hit with the crown, you clearly have never played the game and had someone drive the crown of their helmet into the side of your head
He lowered his body to take on the incoming DB. Sean Wade is 6'1" Trevor Lawrence is 6'6", If Lawrence doesn't make that move there is no targeting called.
100% wrong. He had a clear run and a responsibility to avoid Lawrence's head at all costs. That was one of the most obvious calls I've ever seen. I cannot fathom someone saying that's a clean hit.
@@colingordon5950 And I can't fathom someone being stupid enough to believe that a 200lb guy is gonna A.) Be able to somehow change his momentum mid tackle or B.) Just know the QB that is 1/2 ft taller than you to lower himself low enough that you hit him in the head when you yourself lowered. All aboard the bandwagon train amiright
@@colingordon5950 100% Moron statement. The db lowers himself to make a legal tackle and the QB buckles like a bitch before there is any contact it's not the DBs fault anymore! Not sure how to explain it any clearer than the rest of the world already has.
@@chbgator2226 the db does WHAT??? LOWERS himself....meaning leading with the head. Had he kept the crown of his helmet UP, he wouldn't have committed a penalty. So basically you're making an excuse for awful tackling technique by claiming falsely that it's the offensive players fault. So do you also blame knives for stabbing people?
@@imperator7136 You think its about what team I root for? Wow. Talk about reaching for material. Don't be intellectually dishonest. When you have 15 yards of a free run at someone, you should know you're going to need to adjust right before impact. Unless of course your IQ isn't above 45 and you don't understand motion and physics. Thats why you don't lead with the crown of the helmet....... But it's about being a bandwagon fan?
These calls are mostly bs. It’s ridiculous anymore with this
This has become a game of don't hit me hard. I'm fragile....... I'm glad boxing doesn't have a don't hit me hard rule........ P's
I agree, but
boxing has early & controversial stoppages though.
@@DeanDangerousTDD7 Listen I agree and I was around for The Don King years. The Steel Curtain of Green, Lambert, Ham etc
@@timcolby1876 I hear ya my friend.
I think that if every NFL defensive player
in the league went on strike
& protested in the form of just standing there after the ball is snapped,
allowing the offense to score untested.
That might put an end to this bullshhh
that we are all witnessing
in football today.
What do you think, do u think that
might put an end to this?
I think that the only way that it would
have a real chance of working
is if every player,
I mean every single defensive player
in the NFL would have to participate
in order for it to possibly work.
Otherwise,
the NFL would just fire the players that participated.
&
Then just replace them.
Some of these targeting calls are putting defensive players in harm's way.
Most people who know football
& have played the game.
They know that besides spearing,
hesitation while tackling is the most common reason that's behind why
players get hurt.
Most of these targeting calls that
I see the officials make.
They aren't even
considering that momentum might
be the cause.
The officials have completely refused to take that into account.
&
This has resulted in alot of players
being penalized for tackling
& doing what they have been taught
to do in a football game
their whole life.
American Intermediary 8/8/23
An example of a bad call is
( 2:58 ) I mean seriously,
what should have the defender done here?
Should have he not touched the receiver at all, just stopped & watched him run by
& then try & arm tackle him? I would like to ask
the ref,
" what else could have he done here "?
The worst par about all of this though,
Is that most of the broadcasters, they
are backing most of this nonsense
up.
The ref call bad calls
&
then the announcers act like it was
the right call. Its crazy but I know that they just want to keep their jobs and thats why most of them are doing this.
I guess they just goin to have to start playin flag football