Everyone, Not Just Alabama, Should Be Upset About Non-Targeting Call: All Things CW

The All Issues CW notes column by Christopher Walsh will seem in 5 elements this week, one every day main as much as Saturday’s recreation in opposition to Mississippi State.

That is …

Take 4

It has been 5 days because the Alabama Crimson Tide misplaced at Tennessee, and so far as we all know it nonetheless hasn’t acquired a proof on why the brutal hit on quarterback Bryce Younger wasn’t thought of concentrating on. 

Nick Saban has solely stated that the workforce turned the play into the league workplace for consideration. That was on Monday. Granted, he is had another issues on his thoughts this week, however so far as anybody is aware of the SEC has not gotten again to him or Alabama.   

“There’s two issues which might be a difficulty right here: concentrating on, however you’re additionally not presupposed to hit the quarterback within the head,” the Crimson Tide coach stated. “Final yr in opposition to Texas A&M, Malachi [Moore] acquired thrown out of the sport. The man was out of the pocket, jumped as much as block the ball and ended up, virtually unintentionally, hitting him within the head and acquired ejected from the sport. 

“So there’s actually two issues that must be checked out.”

On the play in query, Alabama had first down on the Tennessee 20, with 1:38 remaining till halftime. The Crimson Tide was down 28-17, however a landing and additional level would make it a four-point recreation, and provides the visiting workforce a whole lot of momentum.

Younger held the ball too lengthy, to the purpose that left guard Javion Cohen began to surrender on the play. He and heart Seth McLaughlin have been double-teaming defensive lineman Omari Thomas, who acquired a shot on the quarterback after he stepped as much as throw. 

The NCAA rule e book covers concentrating on with 9-1-3 and 9-1-4: 

“Concentrating on and Making Forcible Contact With the Crown of the Helmet

ARTICLE 3. No participant shall goal and make forcible contact in opposition to an opponent with the crown of his helmet. This foul requires that there be a minimum of one indicator of concentrating on (See Observe 1 beneath). When in query, it’s a foul. …

Concentrating on and Making Forcible Contact to Head or Neck Space of a Defenseless Participant

ARTICLE 4. No participant shall goal and make forcible contact to the top or neck space of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder. This foul requires that there be a minimum of one indicator of concentrating on. When in query, it’s a foul. …

Observe 1: “Concentrating on” signifies that a participant takes goal at an opponent for functions of attacking with forcible contact that goes past making a authorized deal with or a authorized block or taking part in the ball. Some indications of concentrating on (emphasis NCAA’s) embody however aren’t restricted to:

• Launch-a participant leaving his ft to assault an opponent by an upward and ahead thrust of the physique to make forcible contact within the head or neck space
• A crouch adopted by an upward and ahead thrust to assault with forcible contact on the head or neck space, despite the fact that one or each ft are nonetheless on the bottom
• Main with helmet, shoulder, forearm, fist, hand or elbow to assault with forcible contact on the head or neck space
• Reducing the top earlier than attacking by initiating forcible contact with the crown of the helmet

Observe 2: Defenseless participant (Rule 2-27-14). When in query, a participant is defenseless. Examples of defenseless gamers embody however aren’t restricted to:

• A participant within the act of or simply after throwing a cross
• A receiver trying to catch a ahead cross or in place to obtain a backward cross, or one who has accomplished a catch and has not had time to guard himself or has not clearly turn into a ball provider
• A kicker within the act of or simply after kicking a ball, or throughout the kick or the return
• A kick returner trying to catch or recuperate a kick, or one who has accomplished a catch or restoration and has not had time to guard himself or has not clearly turn into a ball provider
• A participant on the bottom
• A participant clearly out of the play
• A participant who receives a blind-side block
• A ball provider already within the grasp of an opponent and whose ahead progress has been stopped
• A quarterback any time after a change of possession a ball provider who has clearly given himself up and is sliding ft first”

With all that in thoughts, there appears to be some apparent solutions to the mandatory fundamental questions: 

Was Younger a defenseless participant? Sure.

Did he get hit within the head space? Sure.

Was he hit with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder? Sure. 

Did the participant lead together with his helmet? Did he decrease his head? He appeared to, sure. 

But the decision was not concentrating on. The officiating crew additionally did not name roughing the passer.

We defer to former NFL official Terry McAulay, an LSU graduate who labored within the ACC from 1994-97. From 1998-2017, he was the referee for seven convention championship video games and three Tremendous Bowls.

He says there’s one clear conclusion: “It is clearly a concentrating on foul by rule.”

The officers appeared to neglect two issues particularly. 

1) The road “When in query, it’s a foul.”

2) That the rule is there to forestall issues like quarterbacks taking direct pictures to the top by charging defensive lineman who’re 6-4, 320 kilos. 

Anybody who wants a reminder of what is at stake solely want to take a look at what former Crimson Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s been going by way of with the Miami Dolphins. Throughout Week 4 of the NFL season the fifth-overall choose within the 2020 NFL Draft was making an attempt to increase a play when he took a giant hit after which had his head strike the bottom throughout a Thursday evening recreation in Cincinnati. 

The 24-year-old Tagovailoa advised reporters in Miami on Wednesday that he does not keep in mind what occurred after his head hit the bottom, or being carted off the sphere.  

“I would not say it was scary for me on the time as a result of there was some extent the place I used to be unconscious, so I could not actually inform what was occurring,” he stated. “After I did come to and type of realized what was occurring and what was taking place, I did not consider something long run or quick time period. I used to be simply questioning what occurred.”

Contemplating it was the second blow to his head space in as many weeks, the outrage was huge. The league responded by asserting modifications to its concussion protocols, however one has to marvel what sort of long-term harm could have been carried out.

After the 21-year-old Younger acquired drilled, Alabama had two accept a 43-yard area aim. 

So sure, the non-call could have influenced the result of the sport, a 52-49 loss to snap Alabama’s 15-game profitable streak within the sequence, however that is not crucial difficulty right here. 

The No. 1 job of all officers is not essentially get all of the calls proper, though it is good once they do. It is to guard the security of the athletes. And if the foundations have to be clearer on that time then they have to be adjusted instantly as properly. 

There are many individuals who want their head examined over this, and never simply the quarterback. 

See Additionally:

Take 1: Alabama’s Penalty Downside Is not Simply Dangerous, However Horrendous

Take 2: Which Alabama Gamers are Getting the Most Penalties

Take 3: Are Penalties the First Actual Crack within the Alabama Dynasty?

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