FWST: Still miffed by targeting reversal on TCU’s Turpin? Big 12’s head of officials explains

[froginmn]

This was addressed in the article.

Not the why part. It's absolutely silly that they have removed the previous helmet to helmet rules (was called spearing at one time) in favor of the "ejection or nothing" nature of the targeting rule. You're seeing players get injured, like was the case with Turpin. More concussions, more serious injuries, more parents who don't want their kids playing football.

Don't allow players to lead with their heads, period. And don't allow them to tackle high, period. And if the offensive player lowers his head, penalize him.

Put a soft helmet on their heads and let's see if they tackle with their heads down.

 

[Surfrog]

Plenty of rules need to be changed for sure. this is one of them. Another is RB's lowering their heads into DB's. Apparently, they were going to start calling it this year and I have yet to see a flag for it.

@smufrogger can scheiss off now.

 

[FROGLEGHOP]

It seems like someone "in the grasp" and on his way down should be considered "defenseless".

 

[TxFrog1999]

It seems like someone "in the grasp" and on his way down should be considered "defenseless".

They are. It’s in the rule book.

 

[Froglaw]

Still miffed by targeting reversal on TCU’s Turpin? Big 12’s head of officials explains

BY DREW DAVISON
ddavison@star-telegram.com

What exactly is targeting?

Many fans were asking themselves that question during the TCU-Iowa State game on Saturday night. Frogs wide receiver KaVontae Turpin endured a vicious helmet-to-helmet blow in the first half, requiring him to receive stitches and knocking him out the rest of the game.

Multiple officials flagged Iowa State defensive back Datrone Young for “targeting” after Young collided with Turpin at the end of the 24-yard play, clearly making helmet-to-helmet contact. After review, though, it was overturned.

Read more at https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/big-12/texas-christian-university/article219303625.html

And the "triangle of death" is just a drinking game.

Got it.

 

[Surfrog]

They are. It’s in the rule book.

• A ball carrier already in the grasp of an opponent and whose forward progress has been stopped.
• A ball carrier who has obviously given himself up and is sliding feet-first

While I agree with you about the principle of in grasp - here are the two relevant points from the rule.

Turp was still moving forward and forward progress had not stopped, nor had he given himself up by sliding.

 

[HFrog1999]

I think Big 12 refs are terrible.

I also don’t think the hit on Turpin was Targeting according to how the rule is written.

Football is a dangerous game where people get all sorts of injuries. I don’t think it’s realistic to try to take out helmet to helmet hits because of how hard it is to tackle a runner who’s constantly changing directions and doing everything he can to gain yardage.

Some things can be done to make the game safer. However the violence and danger is part of what makes the game interesting. There’s a point where it’s not entertaining or fun anymore.

 

[froginmn]

I think Big 12 refs are terrible.

I also don’t think the hit on Turpin was Targeting according to how the rule is written.

Football is a dangerous game where people get all sorts of injuries. I don’t think it’s realistic to try to take out helmet to helmet hits because of how hard it is to tackle a runner who’s constantly changing directions and doing everything he can to gain yardage.

Some things can be done to make the game safer. However the violence and danger is part of what makes the game interesting. There’s a point where it’s not entertaining or fun anymore.

Certainly understand your point, but there's also a point at which parents say they don't want their kids risking a lifetime of discomfort, brain issues, etc., and they pull their kids out of youth football.

I think that point is just about here, and if you don't legislate out cheap shots, you'll have more paralysis and other issues which will damage the game worse.

 

[HFrog1999]

Certainly understand your point, but there's also a point at which parents say they don't want their kids risking a lifetime of discomfort, brain issues, etc., and they pull their kids out of youth football.

I think that point is just about here, and if you don't legislate out cheap shots, you'll have more paralysis and other issues which will damage the game worse.

It’s a fine line. It’ll be difficult to figure out the right balance. I’m not sure what the answer is.

I played football in high school and as of now we’re letting our sons play.

 

[PurplFrawg]

Football is a dangerous game where people get all sorts of injuries.
Some things can be done to make the game safer. However the violence and danger is part of what makes the game interesting. There’s a point where it’s not entertaining or fun anymore.

 

[Pharm Frog]

Conference defends its officials while being sufficiently generic in it's response to mitigate against counter-argument. Nothing more to see here. If we're going to hold up the "defenseless" player standard then I will contend that there's never such a thing on the football field. Receivers can defend themselves by stopping their routes if there's a possibility of contact with a defender, knocking down passes instead of catching them, falling down at random times, refusing to enter the field, running towards one's own goal line, etc. QB's can defend themselves at all times by taking a knee, never throwing a pass, sliding down whenever a defender is within 15 yards, checking into toss sweeps 100% of the time, etc.