Still miffed by targeting reversal on TCU’s Turpin? Big 12’s head of officials explains

What exactly is targeting?

Many fans were asking themselves that question during the TCU-Iowa State game on Saturday night. Frogs wide receiver KaVontae Turpin endured a vicious helmet-to-helmet blow in the first half, requiring him to receive stitches and knocking him out the rest of the game.

Multiple officials flagged Iowa State defensive back Datrone Young for “targeting” after Young collided with Turpin at the end of the 24-yard play, clearly making helmet-to-helmet contact. After review, though, it was overturned.

Referee Reggie Smith explained that Turpin had become an upright runner and wasn’t “defenseless” at the time of the collision.

Greg Burks, the Big 12’s coordinator of football officials, spoke on the targeting rule with the Star-Telegram following the controversial overturn in the TCU-Iowa State game. Burks did not speak of Turpin’s play specifically, rather gave a more general perspective on the rule and how it’s implemented.

Essentially, the biggest distinction is whether a player is deemed “defenseless.” That determines whether officials implement Rule 9-1-3 (targeting and making forcible contact with the crown of the helmet) or Rule 9-1-4 (targeting and making forcible contact to head or neck area of a defenseless player).

In Turpin’s case, he wasn’t deemed “defenseless” since he had become a runner after the catch and could anticipate being hit. Young made helmet-to-helmet contact, but the replay officials determined Young didn’t use the crown (or top) of the helmet on the hit.

“There can be helmet contact and it not be targeting,” Burks said. “We review every foul in the stadium for targeting. In the Big 12, because we have a collaborative replay system, we have another replay official and supervisor that are reviewing every targeting play, so they’re not isolated.

“I can promise you that every targeting play is scrutinized forward and backward and we work really hard to be very consistent to employ the rule as it’s written within the guidelines. It’s very difficult sometimes because it’s very, very close.”

If Turpin was deemed “defenseless,” the targeting penalty would have been upheld.

A defenseless player (Rule 9-1-4) is defined as a player unable to protect themselves such as a quarterback throwing the ball, kick returners that haven’t possessed the football yet, pass receivers who don’t have the football yet, somebody that’s out of the play or somebody that’s being blind-side blocked.

Targeting on a defenseless player is called when a defender makes any contact above the shoulders with an act that includes an “indicator of targeting.” Indicators are things such as launches; a crouch followed by an upward and forward thrust; and leading with helmet, shoulder, forearm, first, hand or elbow to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area.

Targeting on a player who is not defenseless (Rule 9-1-3) is called only when a defender uses the crown of his helmet.

“In other words, what used to be the old spearing,” Burks said. “If we drew a circle above your facemask, all the way around your head, that’s the definition of crown. So when you use your head as a weapon, you lower and strike with the top of your head, then that’s the 9-1-3 piece.

“Those 9-1-3 fouls are as much about protecting the tackler, that defender who drops his head and puts himself in a really vulnerable position for neck and head injuries, spine injuries, so it’s as much protecting them as it is that runner.

“There are still really violent hits that may or may not be targeting.”

The targeting rule is always evolving in a sport that is concerned with making it safer for future generations. The mantra nowadays is “see what you hit.” Keeping your head up when tackling reduces the chance of sustaining a concussion or other serious injuries.

The NCAA is making penalties stiffer for targeting, too, as players must sit out two halves if they are flagged for it. In other words, if a player is called for targeting in the second half of a game, he must sit out the first half of the following game.

The NCAA could look into adjusting the targeting rule such as having varying degrees of flagrant fouls in basketball. For now, though, it’s about sending a strong message that targeting is not acceptable in today’s game.

“Some of them just jump out at you. You see it and you just go, ‘That’s targeting. That’s targeting,’” Burks said. “But there are still several plays a week that we have to really take a look at and the penalty is pretty severe and the NCAA doesn’t want us to back up on those things. They do want us to be as consistent as we can and that’s where the indicator and the 9-1-3, 9-1-4 came from.”

This story was originally published October 2, 2018 at 7:00 AM.