Looking to provide some clarification for the sometimes ambiguous targeting rule, coaches taking part in this week's annual American Football Coaches Association Convention have put forth a proposal that would create a two-fold penalty.
The concept put forth by the group, which consists of college football coaches from every division, would create a Targeting 1 and Targeting 2 penalty.
"All of our coaches are in favor of the targeting rule and they recognize the significance of it. We also recognize that there needs to be more clarification," AFCA Executive Director Todd Berry said in a statement. "There is going to be subjectivity in the enforcement of this rule, but this can be very costly to the student-athlete who has limited attempts to play this game.
"For a student-athlete to be ejected from a game for something that many would question to be the correct call can be severe."
Targeting 1 would be called if there is no malicious intent by the player. It would come with a simple 15-yard penalty.
Targeting 2 would be called if there is malicious intent by the player. The proposal would call for a more severe punishment than a one-game suspension if the player has been flagged for multiple Target 2 penalties.
Targeting is when a player makes forcible contact against a defenseless opponent with the crown (top) of his helmet. It's also defined by the NCAA when a player makes forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder.
Players are automatically disqualified for targeting. If a player is ejected in the first half, they must miss the remainder of the game. If a player is ejected in the second half, he must miss the first half of the team's next game.
Any changes would have to go through the NCAA Football Oversight Committee.
