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WATCH: David Pollack sounds off on the way targeting is currently enforced
By Adam Spencer
Published:
It seems like there’s a targeting penalty called in every single college football game these days.
That’s difficult for teams to manage, as a second-half ejection for targeting means the player also has to miss the first half of the next week’s game.
One problem with the rule is that it is a subjective call from the referees. Though there are some clear-cut cases of blatantly unnecessary helmet shots, other calls aren’t so cut and dry.
On Friday, College GameDay analyst David Pollack sounded off on the way the rule is currently enforced, saying it unfairly penalizes defenders who are trying their best to make clean hits:
These targeting calls have to be addressed now. They are out of hand. pic.twitter.com/f7zsqpactE
— David Pollack (@davidpollack47) October 13, 2017
One interesting solution Pollack proposes is a 15-yard penalty for a first targeting call and an ejection for a second call.
However, that may lead to some players trying to get away with targeting once a game. For better or for worse, the current rule is the best we’ve got right now.
Though Pollack and others are right that it needs to be addressed, it’s doubtful that there’s a perfect solution to be found.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.