Miami (FL) cornerback Trajan Bandy was a victim of an idiotic rule during the Hurricanes' Week 1 game vs. LSU on Sunday.
Four minutes into the game, LSU converted a 3rd-and-9 to move the ball to Miami's 35-yard-line. On the play, Bandy contributed to the tackle of Dee Anderson, and in doing so, Bandy made helmet-to-helmet contact with Anderson.
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He was called for targeting (after a timeout and review). It was the right call; Bandy lowered his head and made forceful contact to Anderson with the crown his helmet. It came with an automatic ejection.
First, here's the NCAA's full targeting rule:
No player shall target and make forcible contact against an opponent with the crown (top) of his helmet. This foul requires that there be at least one indicator of targeting (See Note 1 below). When in question, it is a foul.
No player shall target and make forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent (See Note 2 below) with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder. This foul requires that there be at least one indicator of targeting (See Note 1 below). When in question, it is a foul (Rules 2-27-14 and 9-6). (A.R. 9-1-4-I-VI)
Note 1: "Targeting" means that a player takes aim at an opponent for purposes of attacking with forcible contact that goes beyond making a legal tackle or a legal block or playing the ball. Some indicators of targeting include but are not limited to:
Launch—a player leaving his feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust of the body to make forcible contact in the head or neck area
A crouch followed by an upward and forward thrust to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area, even though one or both feet are still on the ground
Leading with helmet, shoulder, forearm, fist, hand or elbow to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area
Lowering the head before attacking by initiating forcible contact with the crown of the helmet
The rule was enforced correctly. The rule, however, is the dumbest rule in college football.
There should be two levels of targeting. A level-1 targeting violation is one in which a player deliberately makes a reckless hit with the potential to injure. Level-1 violations come with an automatic ejection. A level-2 targeting violation is one in which a player makes forcible contact with an opponents' head or neck area but the contact is not malicious and was not made with the potential to injure. Issue a 15-yard penalty, and two Level-2 violations equal an ejection.
This rule is severely flawed.
