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J.J. Watt Says Ejecting College Football Players For Targeting Isn't Right

by Staff Reporter

September 18, 201769 Comments

Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

There was several college football player ejection this past Saturday as a result of targeting penalties, including two LSU players- linebacker Donnie Alexander and defensive end Neil Farrell.

Both Alexander and Farrell were ejected for separate targeting calls for hits on Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald at Davis Wade Stadium during the second half of the game.

NFL superstar JJ Watt of the Houston Texans disagrees with how targeting penalties are enforced and sent out this tweet on Saturday night:

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Since the penalties against Alexander and Farrell happened in the second half, both players are required to sit out the first half against Syracuse this Saturday.

Filed Under: LSU Football

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69 Comments

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cra_cra•104 months

I think there should be 2 versions of the rule. One that is more incidental and one in which is true "targeting". The true targeting should be ejection, but the incidental ones (like the barely bumps LSU got penalized for) should just be a penalty. This way, players and coaches are still strongly incentivized to work on not doing it.

Mulerider•104 months

The most blatant targeting call in the game was the hit on D. Williams and it was not called nor was it even reviewed while Williams was on the field with a leg injury.

cra_cra•104 months

I agree, and it's a shame it hasn't been mentioned.

Cadello•104 months

Someone should hold the refs accountable for that. It looked exactly like the second ejection LSU got. Refs took over this game and killed momentum.

OweO•104 months

I think it is absolutely insane that players get ejected for their first "targeting" call. At least, penalize and give warning the first time.

TigerSpray•104 months

Ejecting Child Molester referees should be legal - haul their a$$ straight to prison.

LSU Patrick•104 months

It's okay to jump on a player's abdomen when he's defenseless on the ground, but don't run into his helmet on accident!

Chuker•104 months

How are you going to determine whether is was on purpose or not? Ask the player?

beauchristopher•104 months

You can use your brain and watch Chuck

Mr. Hangover•104 months

If it's blatantly obvious that there is malicious intent in the head to head contact, players SHOULD BE EJECTED... both of the chickenshit ejections for LSU were absolute and complete horseshite

km•104 months

Concerning Alexander's ejection: he left his feet, launched into the players head with his head down. This is a textbook example of why the rule has to be enforced.

STRIPES•104 months

These subjective calls alter a game too much. There is simply no reason to eject a player for what in many cases is just an accidental collision. Ejection for the second offense maybe but not the 1st. It is a game altering penalty and when there are two in a game? Come on man.

ForeverEllisHugh•104 months

I agree with JJ - a penalty is one thing but ejections should be reserved for egregious actions, not hitting a guy wrong in a split-second moment within the game.

airfernando•104 months

I appreciate Watt speaking out; these ejections are stupid. Sometimes is next to impossible to keep helmets from hitting. Our guys did not launch into Fitz.

atltiger6487•104 months

players brains are getting scrambled, so college and pro are both trying to adapt their rules accordingly. And it's the right thing to do. Severe penalties (and ejections) are supposed to make players adapt their style of tackling. Yes, some ejections may seem unfair, but I thoroughly agree with the rules and the protection of the players.

burke985•104 months

Hey if you don't want scrambled brains then don't play football.

Sancho Panza•104 months

LoL; replaying game, AGAIN.

beauchristopher•104 months

I agree

rbdallas•104 months

Refs are hired by the NCAA, who has no backbone and just wants to cover their arse in lawsuits.
There needs to be a difference between a TRUE targeting and INCIDENTAL. In LSUs case (2nd) the player was already going forward WHEN the QB swiveled and thus got hit. Otherwise it would have been likely just a tackle

HarryBalzack•104 months

Yeah, the ones where the player is forced into the other player for some reason or where the one being tackled makes some move right before contact are ridiculous.

lynxcat•104 months

A full game is too material to a players season of only 12 games. Generally, the fouls that are called today as targeting are typically not vicious plays. There is a rare occasion of someone launching themselves but it's the exception.

p0845330•104 months

Mangling the English language, like the writer did by the first sentence, should also be penalized with ejection from the keyboard.

Lexman1•104 months

The problem is: Everything is subjective to interpretation. I do agree with trying to keep brain trauma down, as I suffer from a cavernous angioma tumor. But football is a violent collision sport, so there's really no way to prevent it.

TJGator1215•104 months

Life isn't fair. DWI.

ready4something•104 months

1 penalty 2 ejection. Just like the pros.

Lsu101205•104 months

How

The Fall of Romo•104 months

LZ83•104 months

They didn't even knock down Fitz on one of those "targeting" calls.

skullopener•104 months

EXCUSES!!!!!

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