The Jordan Howden Targeting Call

matt

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The targeting call on Howden was not maintained. Howden definitely lowered his helmet before the ball carrier came to him. However, I believe the reason he wasn't called for targeting is that he essentially remained stationary. If you look at the multiple definitions of targeting, many of them talk about making or initiating forcible contact to the head or neck. However, Howden did not initiate or make contact. He remained in place and lowered his head as the ball carrier came to him. Therefore, he did not initiate the contact or really target the ball carrier, and he definitely did not launch at the ball carrier.

I am not advising this as a preferred tackling method as it was not pretty, but it was a play that I thought may initially be called as targeting until I reviewed the definition. For more info on the definition of targeting, here is an SI article on it:
https://www.si.com/college-football/2018/college-football-helmet-targeting-rule-explained
 

Gotta tackle with your head up, otherwise you're risking a call.


But yeah it probably helped he was in an akward spot and not "attacking" like the other targeting call in the game.
 
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The targeting call on Howden was not maintained. Howden definitely lowered his helmet before the ball carrier came to him. However, I believe the reason he wasn't called for targeting is that he essentially remained stationary. If you look at the multiple definitions of targeting, many of them talk about making or initiating forcible contact to the head or neck. However, Howden did not initiate or make contact. He remained in place and lowered his head as the ball carrier came to him. Therefore, he did not initiate the contact or really target the ball carrier, and he definitely did not launch at the ball carrier.

I am not advising this as a preferred tackling method as it was not pretty, but it was a play that I thought may initially be called as targeting until I reviewed the definition. For more info on the definition of targeting, here is an SI article on it:
https://www.si.com/college-football/2018/college-football-helmet-targeting-rule-explained

yeah it was a weird situation where he was almost falling backwards. He didn't initiate any of the contact is probably why they could not confirm it
 

yeah it was a weird situation where he was almost falling backwards. He didn't initiate any of the contact is probably why they could not confirm it

He also didn't lead with the crown of his helmet, the contact came on back of his helmet when his head was straight down. He didn't really "lead" at all.
 

Howden wasn't called for targeting because he didn't target - he had position first and the ball carrier came to him. He didn't lead with the crown; in fact he didn't lead at all - he was stationary. And he didn't drop his head to hit the ball carrier - he was low first, and it was the ball carrier who dropped his head and initiated contact.

Though the contact was helmet to helmet, it was the ball carrier who caused it.
 


Howden wasn't called for targeting because he didn't target - he had position first and the ball carrier came to him. He didn't lead with the crown; in fact he didn't lead at all - he was stationary. And he didn't drop his head to hit the ball carrier - he was low first, and it was the ball carrier who dropped his head and initiated contact.

Though the contact was helmet to helmet, it was the ball carrier who caused it.

Can targeting be called on a ball carrier? I'm not saying it should have been in this case, just wondering if it's part of the rule.
 

Gotta tackle with your head up, otherwise you're risking a call.

Actually, you're risking a heck of a lot more than that. Much more likely to suffer a neck injury if you lead with the crown instead of the facemask. That occurred in the first half of this game, I think just one play after an FSU player was called for targeting. Another FSU player lowered his head on a tackle (he wasn't called for it) and ended up having to leave the game.

Spearing is stupid on every level, and it irritates the hell out of me that both college and pros turned a blind eye to it for so long.

JTG
 


Instant replay saved us this time.
 






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