Trikweze Bridges and the nonsense targeting call

Though very unevenly enforced, the rule is you can't lead with the crown of your helmet, period. We several got warnings over the last few years in youth football and HS to make sure to teach tackling without it because everything was changing.

 

That call on the 2nd pick six was every bit as bad as the targeting. Can't push players trying to go make a tackle. Should be reviewable on scoring plays.

 

Exception to rule #345-B: no penalty shall be assessed if the offended player appears to have liked, or admits to have liked, the contact; or if the result of the play was amusing.

 

I believe the Aggies also got hit with what seemed like a bad targeting call.

 

If a helmet to the ass by defense is a penalty, would a helmet to the shoulder of a defender by a running back be targeting?

 

Perhaps what we need are lots of mini airbags on the helmets. The downside is players would be changing helmets almost every play.

 

It’s the launch and leading with the crown that draws the flag. It doesn’t matter if you hit them in the ass, or the bottom of the shoe, by rule.

If they’re defenseless, any forcible contact to the head/neck is targeting. If they’re not defenseless, it also requires a qualifier. Ex: leading with the crown/launching. Leading with the crown/launching is always a penalty, by rule. Whether they’re defenseless or not, and doesn’t matter where you hit them.

 

It should be. I have only seen targeting called on an offensive player on a blindside block though in college. In the pro’s, I have seen the rb’s penalized for leading with the crown, but not very often.

 

The azz tackle looked to me like a good drive through the ball carrier and the only issue I saw was the leading with the helmet crown. If he would have driven through the ball carrier leading with his face mask like us old-timers were taught there wouldn’t have been a penalty. I didn’t see him launch. That’s why I asked (facetiously) about a running back leading with his crown and driving through a defender.

 

Either/or, don’t have to launch and use the crown. He definitely used the crown. I don’t like the call, or the way this penalty is enforced, but that’s what it is.

 

He speared the Gator player. May be a bad rule, but was textbook.

 

He definitely launched and lead with the crown. Keep your face up.

We were taught this at the mighty mites level, 30+ years ago. Of course my pops was also teaching us to plant our facemask in their chest and drive up so hard that our opponents head came off with their helmet. I don’t think they were supposed to be teaching us that then, and definitely can’t now.

 

I suspect we agree on this, but he only "used the crown" in the sense that it incidentally touched an ass that happened to have jumped in the air. Rule is so garbage.

 

And I am a safety in the hole with a big ass running back and I’m supposed to stand up and let him plow my ass in the chest

 

While he uses his helmet as a projectile.

 

That's kinda what happened with Tua, the defender was just sorta there and Tua ran his head into him.

 

I haven’t watched much football this weekend. Been at the river hanging out with friends and family, teaching kiddos how to fish. Three first fishes this weekend! I did catch both targeting calls during our game, but not much more.

 

I'd prefer if Gatortackle was an invention that helped us tackle better.

 

UK was also absolutely hosed on a pick six. The ball never touched the ground.

 

Nah, that one was justifiable. At least our guy attempted to wrap up. Ol buddy at aTm just chest speared our guy with helmet ONLY.