So I know that the concept of the targeting rule has been beaten to death and I was hoping to never hear of it again, however the world would not have it so. While watching some highlights of previous OSU games, I began noting all the targeting calls that had gone against the Bucks and been upheld by the replay booth. I understand any field official making a mistake on a "bang-bang" play, but I don't think there are any excuses for replay officials to make the same mistake. So what I did was try and find every upheld targeting call against OSU from the inception of the rule (2013) until this past season. From there I tried to discern: (1) Was the play actually targeting by the letter of the law? (2) If it was targeting, then what portion of the rule caused targeting to be invoked? (3) Was their intent to target the player? This last point seems especially important considering talks over making a targeting call similar to a flagrant 1/2 situation in basketball.
2013
Bradley Roby vs Iowa
Call: Not Targeting - hit appears to be shoulder to chest. The Iowa player laying down injured seemed to influence that call.
https://www.landgrantholyland.com/2013/10/19/4856146/ohio-state-iowa-bra...
2014
Corey Smith vs Wisconsin
Call: Not targeting. However, could still be considered a blindside block
2015
Kam Williams vs Penn state
Call: Targeting; led with crown of helmet. By letter of the law he dropped his head and made contact with the crown of the helmet. Tough luck on bang-bang play
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgXXSxq8DDI&t=123s
Time stamp @ 30:20
Joey Bosa vs Notre Dame
Call: Targeting; led with crown of helmet. By letter of the law he dropped his head and made contact with the crown of the helmet
https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-football/2016/01/65769/video-j...
2017
Dremont Jones vs Sparty
Call: Not Targeting; Pushes QB in the chest after the ball is gone. Roughing the passer at the absolute worst. Never a targeting cal
https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/11/11/16637740/dremont-jo...
Denzel Ward vs Maryland
Call: Not Targeting. Just a horror show of a call. Big ten later apologizes
https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/10/7/16441908/ohio-state-...
Nick Bosa vs Iowa
Call: Targeting; helmet to helmet; No need to lunge in there. Likely the most clear of the targeting calls which says something
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/bigten/2017/11/04/ohio-state...
2018
Isiah Pryor vs Penn state
Call: Not Targeting; He is slowing down and is making minimal contact with a diving player. Hamler laying on the field is what seemed to draw the flag
https://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/09/penn-state-ohio-state-targeting-reaction
Jordan Fuller vs Nebraska
Call: Targeting. Did make contact to the helmet of a player with his shoulder. Tough luck since the player is dropping out of mid-air
https://thespun.com/college-football/ohio-state-jordan-fuller-ejected-ta...
2019
Shaun Wade
Call: Targeting; led with crown of helmet
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2019/12/28/ohio-state-db-sha...
Final Analysis: I realize this will all boil down to opinions, but the way I saw the 10 targeting calls that were upheld against OSU were:
- 5 correct Targeting Calls
- 5 incorrect Targeting Calls
- 9 Targeting calls without intent
- 1 Targeting call with intent (Bosa vs Iowa)
- All 5 incorrect (and some of the correct calls) were influenced by an injury after the hit. All of the flags were not thrown until their was a confirmed injury and time had elapsed since the play
