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NCAA changes the penalties for Targeting
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:53 pm
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:53 pm
quote:
For the 2026 season, the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee on Thursday approved a one-year trial rule to modify the penalty structure when players are penalized for targeting.
Under the rule, a player disqualified for targeting for the first time during the season, regardless of which half it occurs, may participate in the next game.
Any player disqualified for targeting a second time during the season will be required to miss the first half of the next game. If a player is disqualified for a third targeting penalty during the season, the player will be required to miss the entire next game. No players were disqualified for targeting three times in the 2025 season.
A conference has the option to initiate an appeals process after a player's second targeting offense. The appeal, which can cover the first and second targeting offenses, would be sent to the NCAA national coordinator of football officials, who would then facilitate a video review.
If the call is overturned on appeal, the player will be able to play without sitting out the first half of the next game.
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Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:59 pm to TideSaint
It's a start. But they need to fix the issue with the accidental/incidental contact that gets called "targeting." No defender should get called for targeting if they are aiming for the thighs but the ball carrier slips or braces at the last second and lowers their head.
Posted on 3/19/26 at 4:00 pm to BigBinBR
They also need to figure out how to call it with any semblance of consistency. Instead of one game something meeting the requirement and the next game the very same hit can not be targeting.
Posted on 3/19/26 at 4:03 pm to TideSaint
A commonsense approach would be great. Anyone who's played or knows about football can recognize a malicious hit vs "football play" from a few replays - also I'm a firm believer targeting mostly gets called when the TV announcers bring it up
Posted on 3/19/26 at 6:50 pm to GoCrazyAuburn
quote:
They also need to figure out how to call it with any semblance of consistency. Instead of one game something meeting the requirement and the next game the very same hit can not be targeting.
No kidding...
And the metrics are ridiculous. Crown of the helmet vs. helmet- helmet contact...launch/no launch... defenseless player/not a defenseless player...
Once you think you have all of it figured out... you don't.
Posted on 3/19/26 at 7:11 pm to TideSaint
There's no such thing as "targeting"
there's spearing. Period. Crown of the helmet. Spearing. Since the civil war.
"targeting" is pre-crime, like a ref can read a player's mind when he's going in for a tackle, and then throw a flag to protect Alabama and Ohio State for the sake of TV money
there's spearing. Period. Crown of the helmet. Spearing. Since the civil war.
"targeting" is pre-crime, like a ref can read a player's mind when he's going in for a tackle, and then throw a flag to protect Alabama and Ohio State for the sake of TV money
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