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J.J. Watt Says Ejecting College Football Players For Targeting Isn't Right

by Staff Reporter

September 18, 201769 Comments

Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

There was several college football player ejection this past Saturday as a result of targeting penalties, including two LSU players- linebacker Donnie Alexander and defensive end Neil Farrell.

Both Alexander and Farrell were ejected for separate targeting calls for hits on Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald at Davis Wade Stadium during the second half of the game.

NFL superstar JJ Watt of the Houston Texans disagrees with how targeting penalties are enforced and sent out this tweet on Saturday night:

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Since the penalties against Alexander and Farrell happened in the second half, both players are required to sit out the first half against Syracuse this Saturday.

Filed Under: LSU Football

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Originally published on TigerDroppings.com

69 Comments

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cra_cra•80 months

I think there should be 2 versions of the rule. One that is more incidental and one in which is true "targeting". The true targeting should be ejection, but the incidental ones (like the barely bumps LSU got penalized for) should just be a penalty. This way, players and coaches are still strongly incentivized to work on not doing it.

Mulerider•80 months

The most blatant targeting call in the game was the hit on D. Williams and it was not called nor was it even reviewed while Williams was on the field with a leg injury.

cra_cra•80 months

I agree, and it's a shame it hasn't been mentioned.

Cadello•80 months

Someone should hold the refs accountable for that. It looked exactly like the second ejection LSU got. Refs took over this game and killed momentum.

OweO•80 months

I think it is absolutely insane that players get ejected for their first "targeting" call. At least, penalize and give warning the first time.

TigerSpray•80 months

Ejecting Child Molester referees should be legal - haul their a$$ straight to prison.

LSU Patrick•80 months

It's okay to jump on a player's abdomen when he's defenseless on the ground, but don't run into his helmet on accident!

Chuker•80 months

How are you going to determine whether is was on purpose or not? Ask the player?

beauchristopher•80 months

You can use your brain and watch Chuck

Mr. Hangover•80 months

If it's blatantly obvious that there is malicious intent in the head to head contact, players SHOULD BE EJECTED... both of the chickenshit ejections for LSU were absolute and complete horseshite

km•80 months

Concerning Alexander's ejection: he left his feet, launched into the players head with his head down. This is a textbook example of why the rule has to be enforced.

STRIPES•80 months

These subjective calls alter a game too much. There is simply no reason to eject a player for what in many cases is just an accidental collision. Ejection for the second offense maybe but not the 1st. It is a game altering penalty and when there are two in a game? Come on man.

ForeverEllisHugh•80 months

I agree with JJ - a penalty is one thing but ejections should be reserved for egregious actions, not hitting a guy wrong in a split-second moment within the game.

airfernando•80 months

I appreciate Watt speaking out; these ejections are stupid. Sometimes is next to impossible to keep helmets from hitting. Our guys did not launch into Fitz.

atltiger6487•80 months

players brains are getting scrambled, so college and pro are both trying to adapt their rules accordingly. And it's the right thing to do. Severe penalties (and ejections) are supposed to make players adapt their style of tackling. Yes, some ejections may seem unfair, but I thoroughly agree with the rules and the protection of the players.

burke985•80 months

Hey if you don't want scrambled brains then don't play football.

Sancho Panza•80 months

LoL; replaying game, AGAIN.

beauchristopher•80 months

I agree

rbdallas•80 months

Refs are hired by the NCAA, who has no backbone and just wants to cover their arse in lawsuits. There needs to be a difference between a TRUE targeting and INCIDENTAL. In LSUs case (2nd) the player was already going forward WHEN the QB swiveled and thus got hit. Otherwise it would have been likely just a tackle

HarryBalzack•80 months

Yeah, the ones where the player is forced into the other player for some reason or where the one being tackled makes some move right before contact are ridiculous.

lynxcat•80 months

A full game is too material to a players season of only 12 games. Generally, the fouls that are called today as targeting are typically not vicious plays. There is a rare occasion of someone launching themselves but it's the exception.

p0845330•80 months

Mangling the English language, like the writer did by the first sentence, should also be penalized with ejection from the keyboard.

Lexman1•80 months

The problem is: Everything is subjective to interpretation. I do agree with trying to keep brain trauma down, as I suffer from a cavernous angioma tumor. But football is a violent collision sport, so there's really no way to prevent it.

TJGator1215•80 months

Life isn't fair. DWI.

ready4something•80 months

1 penalty 2 ejection. Just like the pros.

Lsu101205•80 months

How

The Fall of Romo•80 months

LZ83•80 months

They didn't even knock down Fitz on one of those "targeting" calls.

skullopener•80 months

EXCUSES!!!!!

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