CU/UCLA: more quotes and a few miscellaneous points

[DavisBuff]

Gilberts targeting call was unfortunate. It looked like he had committed to the tackle an instant after Fafaul started his slide, but it was the correct call. I'm good with the refs erring on the side of players safety.
The two that where crap in my opinion where Bobos and Jacksons.
Bobo pushed a player off who was dragging Sefo back after the play was dead. It should have been offsetting.
Jackson was pulling a player off the ball carrier. The Ucla guy was laying on the ball carrier too long. The whole thing looked like a non-call to me. This was early in the game and long before any of the real chippiness got going. A 15 yard PF call was unnecessary.
Those two calls really pissed me off at the time. I try remember that most of the time bad calls end up balancing out and officiating rarely changes the result of a game, but I am rarely successful at remembering that.

 

[DBT]

You forgot about part 1 of the rule which prohibits contact anywhere with the crown of the helmet. Jimmy lowered his head and made contact with the crown of the helmet. It was judged to be forcible contact, therefore it was a penalty.

No I didn't. It says "Targeting and...", not "Targeting or....."

 

[AeroBuff99]

No I didn't. It says "Targeting and...", not "Targeting or....."

Here is the entire rule. Note that intent does not play into the infraction.

Targeting and Making Forcible Contact With the Crown of the Helmet
ARTICLE 3. No player shall target and make forcible contact against an opponent with the crown (top) of his helmet. This foul requires that there be at least one indicator of targeting (See Note 1 below). When in question, it is a foul. (Rule 9-6) (A.R. 9-1-3-I)
Targeting and Making Forcible Contact to Head or Neck Area of a Defenseless Player
ARTICLE 4. No player shall target and make forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent (See Note 2 below) with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder. This foul requires that there be at least one indicator of targeting (See Note 1 below). When in question, it is a foul (Rules 2-27-14 and 9-6). (A.R. 9-1-4-I-VI)
Note 1: “Targeting” means that a player takes aim at an opponent for purposes of attacking with forcible contact that goes beyond making a legal tackle or a legal block or playing the ball. Some indicators of targeting include but are not limited to:
• Launch—a player leaving his feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust of the body to make forcible contact in the head or neck area
• A crouch followed by an upward and forward thrust to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area, even though one or both feet are still on the ground
• Leading with helmet, shoulder, forearm, fist, hand or elbow to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area
• Lowering the head before attacking by initiating forcible contact with the crown of the helmet
Note 2: Defenseless player (Rule 2-27-14):
• A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass.
• A receiver attempting to catch a forward pass or in position to receive a backward pass, or one who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a ball carrier.
• A kicker in the act of or just after kicking a ball, or during the kick or the return.
• A kick returner attempting to catch or recover a kick, or one who has completed a catch or recovery and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a ball carrier
• A player on the ground.
• A player obviously out of the play.
• A player who receives a blind-side block.
• A ball carrier already in the grasp of an opponent and whose forward progress has been stopped.
• A quarterback any time after a change of possession
• A ball carrier who has obviously given himself up and is sliding feet-first.

 

[lvbuff]

It seems to just like any other rule enforcement, there will always be gray areas. the refs ought to have some discretion in the ejection phase. That's why they get paid the big bucks.

 

[LaserDeathHawk]

Gilbert's hit was textbook targeting. QB was sliding defenseless, and JG lead with his head with a direct hit the the QB's head. I just don't know how anyone can see it different without black and gold glasses.

I think the bigger question is where the hell are your black and gold glasses??

 

[BuffLuke80]

To me and it's not giving refs a pass at all. It's up to players to adjust to how it's gonna be called. That might be different every week.

 

[DBT]

It's probably a good rule and I don't really have an issue with Gilbert's ejection. But I do believe the wording of the rule is sort of vague and too subjective.

 

[buffalo1]

Question on targeting.
Defender aims body to tackle ball carrier. The defender head aimed just below the numbers (I believe all experts say tackling jus below numbers is safest place to tackle). Ball carrier at same instant lowers body and ball carrier head now in path of defender's head. Defender head which had been aimed below numbers collides with ball carrier's head.
What is the correct call?
Is there a way for ref to recognize that it was the ball carrier who put head in contact.
Should rule be fixed to account for defender attempting to make the safest tackle?

 

[4thGenBuff]

Lots of talk trying to prove UCLA imploded further in our locker room. My thinking is that if it did happen then we should not want anyone to know about it. What is absolutely clear to me is that its in the best interest for CU for Mora to keep his job for as LONG as possible. I could go through the litany of observations I had on that game but the bottom line is having Mora coaching UCLA is very good for us. The only news coming out of our AD should be positive plugs for Mora.

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

I think the confusion is on the targeting rule itself. I don't think Gilbert intended to hit him in the helmet. Fafaul slid very late after Gilbert had committed to the tackle. Still targeting regardless of intent.

In general, I do not agree with the slide rule for QBs. If you run, you're a running back. Alas, them the rules, but I don't have to like em.

I could be wrong but I believe it's not just a QB slide rule. It's any player that decides to slide. A RB or WR could technically slide and "give himself up" and the same rules would apply to them as they do to the QB. The difference is it's 99% unacceptable for a non-QB to slide, rather than take a shot and pick up the extra yardage.

 

[Jeric]

My only problem with targeting is the ejection part. Only eject someone if they do something ejection worthy, that's up to the refs, shouldn't be up to a very broad penalty that encompasses so many different kinds of plays and intent (especially one that ignores intent).

 

[f***bailer]

I have watched the P12 highlights version a few times since last week and love the tenacity of Thompson's block after Olugbode's pick. He was behind the play and sprints past Ken to throw a block. Watch it. Effort like that makes me believe that this team has the desire to see this through.