Fans question why Mack Wilson wasn't flagged for targeting while Devin White was on Saturday
Two similar plays by defensive players on quarterbacks on Saturday drew different reactions from officials calling those games, and that’s drawn ire from fans across the SEC.
One play that was called for targeting was LSU linebacker Devin White being flagged on a hit on Mississippi State QB Nick Fitzgerald in the fourth quarter, which led to his ejection. That means he will miss the first half of the Alabama game next month.
That controversial call brought out fan complaints that the hit by Alabama’s Mack Wilson on Tennessee QB Jarrett Guarantano, which caused a collarbone injury, was not whistled for targeting, although it appeared to be a similar hit as White’s.
It was a mixed bag of those defending Wilson’s play, and others calling for SEC leadership to explain what’s the difference between the two plays.
SEC Network’s Marcus Spears and Mike Golic of ESPN agreed that it was the rule that needs to be addressed to sort things out in the future.
With LSU and Alabama each off this week before the Nov. 3 showdown in Tiger Stadium, that gives plenty of time to continue the debate about the calls, the rules and the impact each player will have in the game.
Mack’s helmet hits the qb under the chin and in the shoulder pads, which is perfect form for that hit. Mack lifts his head up so he isn’t striking the qb with the crown of his helmet (which by rule would be targeting). Very hard hit but not targeting. pic.twitter.com/KDUhzCDPZo
— Joshua Perkins (@JoshuaPerkiins) October 21, 2018
Now back to the Devin White play. Notice how his head is higher up than Mack’s. His face mask is up (not leading with the crown) but his helmet doesn’t hit the shoulder pads like Wilson’s. It appears to hit the face mask of Fitzgerald. pic.twitter.com/6Nl6VuVjQw
— Joshua Perkins (@JoshuaPerkiins) October 21, 2018
Yes seriously! Go complain somewhere else. Everyone mad because white ejected for helmet to helmet and saying Mack Wilson was targeting, yet his facemask was burried in Tennesse qb chest… pic.twitter.com/YXG6yKwmYn
— Danny (@mrbonesripper) October 21, 2018
SEC Network – Can't believe you guys are not commenting on the Mack Wilson hit on the Tennessee QB knocking him out of the game. Obvious targeting with the helmet with NO CALL, NO FLAG, NO EJECTION! Really? And Devon White gets ejected for hitting with his hands?????????????
— BillyBozLA (@billy_boz) October 21, 2018
Hey @Coach_EdOrgeron @LSUfootball @GregSankey When you have your conference call Monday with Steve Shaw ask them what the difference was between Mack Wilson's hit on the Tenn. QB and Devin's was? And why he wasn't ejected for targeting.
— Eric Barron (@catahoulatigers) October 21, 2018
Sorry if I missed it Marcus, but have you explained why Mack Wilson (Bama) hit on UT’s QB was not targeting? Clearly a more vicious hit and hit launched into him (putting him out of the game). #SECNation/ESPNEmployee
— G W Speeg (@GWSBR) October 21, 2018
I’m so sick of people saying Mack Wilson should have been called for targeting. It was a clean hit it’s not Bama fault the LSU guy was called if it was or wasn’t. They need to learn the rules of targeting and football for that matter!!!! I say let him play no excuses!!!!!
— Jennifer❤ (@rolltidechick82) October 22, 2018
Okay, let's go down this road. Call the hit by Mack Wilson as "targeting". It was in the first half and he wouldn't miss the LSU game. White's infraction was in the second half so he does miss the fist half of the Bama game. Now, see how easy that was?
— John Wills (@willsgroup_AL) October 22, 2018
The @SEC needs to explain how Devin White was ejected for targeting and Mack Wilson wasn't.https://t.co/d40hv7t2XI
— Pigskin Nerd (@PigskinNerd) October 21, 2018
Mike G! Hate the the call and you know it’s a bad rule on punishment but as it was explained to me they are supposed to call it. The rule about sitting out next game is one of the worst in the game and it needs to change https://t.co/qJjjle9u6k
— Marcus Spears (@mspears96) October 21, 2018
@MattMoscona Why not ask the league to suspend Mack Wilson for that hit. They can incur targeting calls by review after the fact can’t they? Might not level the field if Mack was suspended too but it sure would help.
— Corey White (@Netsilot) October 22, 2018
@notthefakeSVP Devon White was targeting but not Mack Wilson. Yeah, Birmingham is not in Alabama's pocket. They let Saban decide punishment for last weeks punches. Please bring this to light. Drugs,weapons, they choose to do nothing. Love ya, man.
— david felder (@dpfelder) October 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/TuttlePatriarch/status/1054077681287991300
Oh the conspiracy theories…… Tighten those tin foil hats. Each crew is different and see the game differently. I know it has been addressed numerous times about getting these crews to call the games “the same” across the board but some of these things are interpreted and everyone will see something different, especially the fans. If it happened to your team it’s wrong but if it happened to the opposing team then good call….
It’s never going to be exact because one crew can’t call every game. It’s no difference then umpires in baseball and the strike zone.
Idk why it’s such a big deal and hard to understand. Wilson was face mask into chest plate. White’s face mask was into helmet. Even if they ejected Wilson it was the first half so no suspension for LSU game.
People are using the Wilson hit to form their conspiracy theories about it being called on White because they play Bama next… You can pick a hit out of every game and question why wasn’t that targeting.
Agreed. IMO, I don’t believe either hit should be targeting, but to say it’s collusion between Bama and the SEC is absolutely ridiculous..
I have to agree. The collusion arguement is asinine. It is just a great example of why the suspension for the next game is easily the most absurd rule in sports.
No, White’s helmet never touched Fitzgerald. It was White’s hands to Fitz’s chest. However, Wilson’s crown of helmet clearly goes into TN’s QB’s neck area. One is targeting, and the other is not. You’re a homer if you disagree with the indisputable evidence.
I don’t think either should be targeting but if you watch the clip on Whites hit from Sbnation which shows its from three different angles you will see that Whites helmet did hit Fitz….
I love how you put you’re a homer if you disagree. That just shows you’re the homer as your opinion is all that matter obviously.
Exactly. But I say let him play, this way there will be no excuses.
I’m as big of an LSU fan as they come. But neither should be targeting. Targeting needs to be for egregious hits and while both were huge hits, neither was deliberate or malicious. Get rid of the next half suspension part of the rule and this argument doesn’t matter.
Can’t see huh ? Do Do !
Everyone knows about the Bama bump. How else do you think they have “won” their trophies. Saban has everyone on payroll.
Let the tears flow UGA fan….
Hey…..look…..I….pull….for….bama…and…barely…can…read…thats….why…I…use…ellipses….because…I…don’t…..know….how….to….use….punctuation. Now run along and google what an ellipses is and report back……….
Still crying?…
Go google the plural and singular version of ellipsis. Fixed it for you. “Now run along and google what an ellipsis is and report back…” Also notice the use of only three dots. Don’t be a grammar b!tch on a sports comment page. It comes across as being smug.
Saban has been there for 12 years. If that were true, what you said, someone would’ve come forward with some kind of evidence by now. Recruitment and development is how they’ve won all the trophies. Your jealousy and conspiracy theories won’t change that fact. Hope you and those voices in your head have a pleasant day.
Everyone means the someone you included as well. Use your brain Cody!
That argument doesn’t hold up. Why would Kirby, Pruitt, Muschamp, Jimbo, or any of his other assistants who are now head coaches allow it to continue? I mean if everyone knows, they’re apart of that. Why would they hamper their own success just to get a few bucks from Saban? They’d get raises that’d pay more than what Saban allegedly pays them, if they beat Saban. So why keep this huge secret? I think the only person not using his brain is the one with a conspiracy theory not backed up with any factual evidence.
He doesn’t have an argument. His post history shows he does nothing but cry. Half his posts are about Bama yet he is a UGA fan..
Wow, you still have a huge amount of tears. I thought the well would have run dry by now.
Red sox and bama? Let me guess you also like Golden State and UConn Women’s basketball.
Those tears are flowing… Your post history is nothing but crying..
@Cool_Story_Hansel They can only win by playing other teams that were in the BCS or Playoffs. So what you are saying is that Saban has people on the payroll at Texas, ND, MSU, LSU, Clemson, UGA, etc?? This argument doesn’t even make sense.
Yes, and when Alabama lost to Clemson, it was just Saban’s way of building suspense for Tua’s throw he knew was coming. That’s also why he told the refs to let Georgia sack Tua in overtime. These people have to be legitimately insane. You know you are running out of excuses when “the man” starts showing up in football.
Yes, because the refs can control the plays. Sure they can affect the game, but they can’t force a team to win/lose. I guess they were playing the long game by not calling a penalty on that sack during the National Championship. They must have been just trying to get more drama, because they had to know Tua would complete a perfect pass to win the game.
That’s why Bama hasn’t lost in the last ten years… right? Wait, how do they decide when Bama should lose? Even though it hurts them in the national race? Do they control the other teams to make them lose so Bama can sneak in as a non-conference champion? Those sneaky refs, making other top 10 teams lose, knowing that a panel of people will select Alabama over a conference champion.
Seriously? Does this seem ridiculous to you? It does to everyone else. There is a much more simple reason why Bama continues to win… because they were the better team that day, luck, or the other team screwed up just enough to let Bama win. I cant believe those refs called that A&M ball a touchback just so Clemson and Alabama can play again.
Wait… what is your explanation when Alabama doesnt win the Championship? To help keep things under wraps? You would have to be insane to believe all of this.
Ive made my argument elsewhere so i’ll spare yall. Just want to reiterate that while plenty of lsu fans are, in fact, sore loser bama conspiracy theorists who cant cope with the current drought, many of us arent. The favoritism stuff is pure BS. i used both mack wilson and smoke mondays plays as examples of the arbitrary nature of the penalty. Wilsons was especially pertinent bc the plays were so similar. Its not a built in excuse for a loss. If we win, it will be because the coaches have their best day and probably bc the bama players have a bad one, complete with some lucky bounces. I know most real bama fans would rather play us a full strength, and devin white is undoubtedly our best linebacker since…. etc. Etc. Ill take the label whiner. It sucks. It was a debatable call at best and and severely hampers our already slim chances. If there was any helmet to helmet contact at all, it was minimal, and certainly not “forcible”. I dont want to see mack wilson miss time either. Maybe just the guy throwing body punches lol. If you can’t at least admit the call was debatable, your tinted glasses are on just as much as ours.
Like they said during the game for LSU they need a Targeting 1 and Targeting 2 just like basketball has.
It’s not that hard to tell if someone actually led with their head with dangerous contact to the head.
I completely agree, I love it when two teams face each other at full strength, and it removes the “but” excuses. For example, Alabama’s National Championship win over Texas will have a “but” after it forever because their QB was knocked out.
You have to to have a lot of tin foil to believe the whole country is in Saban’s pocket… or even just the refs. Not only do they only have so much control over a game (they can’t complete passes), but you have to believe that out of ever ref that has had Alabama over the last ten years is in on it. Oh wait, more than that, because they had to make sure that other teams lost so that Alabama could make it into the Championship after losing to Auburn. So out of the hundreds, if not thousands of people “in on it”, not one has spilled the beans. Not one ref has gotten tired of Saban yelling in his ear, and decided to ruin his legacy for good. I know several people who would pay a LOT of money to see Saban removed from coaching.
As far as the hit goes, Alabama had one earlier this year where the player barely hit the QB in the helmet with his arm and was ejected. I’m not sure if I agree with it or not… I mean, part of me knows that they are trying to protect the players, and they need to get in the habit of going lower. At the same time, they are also playing football, and not all danger can be avoided. At some point you just have to let them play. People will see what they want to see. As long as they refs are consistent, I don’t have a problem with it… and from what I can tell, they have been… for the most part. Targeting is subjective anyway, it’s a judgement call. I hate that the LSU player has to sit out for the first half, but those are the rules and he agreed to play by them. The people who the league puts in position to make those calls, made their call… and we have to live with it. I understand the emotion behind the complaint, but it seems more because of who it is and the impact it could have on the Alabama game more than the call.
Obviously you have never played a down of football if you can’t distinguish between a push and a hit. What an idiot or should say Bama Homer!!
Obviously you have never played a down of football in your life if you can’t distinguish between a push and a hit. What an idiot!!
Pretty simple why he didn’t get ejected…The team he plays for.
Why are you so salty? He didn’t get ejected because it wasn’t targeting lol. Yall need to focus on UF not us.
UGA fans sure have crying down to an art. Is that what happens when you have never witnessed your team win a NC in football in your life?
And just like that BamaTimeSince09 shows up talking about UGA fans! It appears he holds a grudge that UGA rejected him and he had to attend his local community college!
I didn’t see the LSU PLAY but the hit on G by the bama player was just a textbook brutal hit. If G truly believe plays without any effects from that hit he is even tougher than I thought and I thought he was tougher than any QB in the sec. of course none or not many have been put to the same test.
I agree… While I understand the targeting rule, as it was designed to keep the defensive players from lowering their heads with crown up and not facemask up. However, we are seeing offensive player now do it, causing collisions with helmet to helmet. I thought both hits were good hard football.
Hopefully the NCAA will review this rule to make it better. While it has changed the game for the most part with players targeting the head. As well as just lowering their heads. This was all to protect the players. While I love a good hard defensive hit, I would never like to see a players safety jeopardized for one.
Right, but it is also impossible to legislate danger out of football without completely changing football. With the targeting, I’m glad they have recognized when the offensive player initiates the hit, otherwise defensive players would have to resort to two hand touch. They are going to call targeting whenever the QB gets hit in the head, no matter if it is by a helmet, arms, or hands. Alabama had one get ejected for hitting the QB’s helmet with his arm, so at least they are being consistent. Even if Bama wins in two weeks, LSU fans will blame it on this one call. Even if Tua continues to beat them after halftime. The bigger question is if LSU can make Alabama play Tua in the 4th quarter… haha.
The targeting rule has been in effect since 2013 and despite tweaks of all kinds, they still haven’t gotten it right. I like the Targeting 1 (incidental) and Targeting 2 (flagrant) idea on principle, though knowing how the handling of this rule has played out it would also just be something else for the officials to screw up.