The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / Opinion / Problems with the NCAA targeting rule

Problems with the NCAA targeting rule

October 9, 2019 by Tavian Miles

We all know football is a dangerous sport.

I even thought that when I was playing growing up, until I stopped playing in high school. I’ve seen my fair share of big hits which in my opinion is all apart of the game. You’re always taught to keep your head on a swivel, but recently we’ve seen the “targeting rule” get tweaked season after season in college sports toward the wrong way.

College football implemented the targeting rule just before the 2008 season so that players wouldn’t use contact toward the head or neck area. In hindsight you would think this is a great rule, but this has caused a lot of unnecessary penalties towards players who were called for this.

When penalized for a targeting hit the booth automatically reviews the call and once its confirmed the player is then disqualified for the contest and then asked to sit out for the first half of the next game. 

You only get so many opportunities to play in a game and to have to get ejected and miss part of the next game is very costly. 

Players have had to miss big moments for a hit that wasn’t targeting or for a hit that wasn’t intended to be towards the head.

The problem is that their are not levels to the targeting penalty and you get hit with a big penalty. In my opinion, with having the different levels of targeting penalties you then could be able to correspond the hit with its infraction.

I do believe the game is becoming more safer with this rule being implemented, but all officials need to learn to be on the same page so that the rule is universal around the country.

I’m tired of seeing big-time players get ejected for a hit that can just be worth the penalty and not the overall ejection that can shift the turnout of a game.

So far this rule is affecting athletes ability to go out and play in games that have a true impact on their future.

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion

Other Opinion:

  • Tariffs are the last thing struggling students need

  • Gen Z won the election for Donald Trump

  • A Swift rebuke: When it comes to politics, celebrities just do not get it

About Tavian Miles

You are here: Home / Opinion / Problems with the NCAA targeting rule

Other Opinion:

  • Tariffs are the last thing struggling students need

  • Gen Z won the election for Donald Trump

  • A Swift rebuke: When it comes to politics, celebrities just do not get it

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
30 Mar

Sing Song 2025 Awards Women’s Division:

Vocals:
1. Ko Jo Kai
2. Sigma Theta Chi
3. Delta Theta

Entertainment:
1. Sigma Theta Chi
2. Ko Jo Kai
3. Delta Theta

Note: An earlier post included a spelling error, so we have since updated it for accuracy.

Reply on Twitter 1906348770293317827 Retweet on Twitter 1906348770293317827 Like on Twitter 1906348770293317827 Twitter 1906348770293317827
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
30 Mar

Sing Song 2025 Awards Class Division:

Overall Award:
1. Freshman Purple
2. Freshman White
3. Seniors

Reply on Twitter 1906188185371034000 Retweet on Twitter 1906188185371034000 Like on Twitter 1906188185371034000 3 Twitter 1906188185371034000

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

11 months ago

The Optimist

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

1 years ago

The Optimist
"Ending my college education early was always the plan for me, but the things that I have been able to see, experience and examine about ACU’s community were not. I have found immense growth in ACU over the past three and a half years, but ACU still has a long road to climb if it wants to keep catering to students as the world changes around them." To read more of this article visit acuoptimist ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

1
2
3
4
5
PrevNext
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2025 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved