Furman

We are killing ourselves.

And I have no idea what the deal was with the targeting. Feels not equitable.

Mercer can’t seem to step up for the bigger games.

First, great game by the Bears.  They played their butts off tonight.

Second, while I don't come around much anymore, but I do like rules discussions.  As you probably know, Furman fans have had a belly full of SoCon refs after their complete debacle in our Samford game. So, rules interpretations by SoCon refs are like their own little insane asylum for me.

Trying to be as objective as possible, this is my best guess.  Honestly, it's more than you will get from the SoCon office.  Reverse order:

(1) I was surprised the refs threw a flag on the batted pass.  I believe the refs are instructed to make the call if in doubt, but nothing on the video replay suggested targeting to me.  I think that was clearly the correct call.

(2) The Ty James hit.

I think this hit would have fallen under the second of two definitions of targeting - forcible contact with the head or neck area of a defenseless player.

The definition of "defenseless player" includes a kick returner attempting to catch or recover a kick.  So, I think Furman's punt returner, Cally Chizik, meets the definition of a defenseless player.

The question then becomes whether there is some "indication of targeting."  As I saw the replay, James hit Chizik with his shoulder in the head or neck area.  Forcible contact with the head or neck with the shoulder is an "indication of targeting."

So, in my view, that hit meets both elements: there is an indication of targeting due to the player leading with his shoulder in making forcible contact with the head or neck area of a definitionally defenseless player.  I think the refs probably got that one correct.

(3) the Jack Barton hit.

This was a tougher call for me.  The play itself on replay was a little tougher to diagnose than the James hit, which was obvious in so far as it happened off to itself with good camera angles.  It appeared to me that Payton jumped and spun in an effort to throw the ball right before he was hit.

Under the definitions, Payton is arguably a defenseless player having just thrown the ball.  I suppose in their judgment, there was no indication of targeting - forcible contact with the head or neck.

Comparing the two plays, James was essentially on a full run when he made contact with Chizik.  Barton and Payton were sort of all mixed up in the jostle of a lot of QB pressure.  Maybe that's what the refs saw as the difference in the two plays.

Honestly, I thought Barton's hit was going to be upheld.  It could go either way, but with the call on the field being targeting, I assumed it would hold.  I think the James call was technically correct.  I think the third call wasn't remotely targeting.

I went back and watched the play just to confirm.

Mercer was running a TE screen.  Payton sprinted back and to his left and then attempted a sort of jump/spin throw to the TE.

Barton had one step prior to hitting the QB.  I suppose minds can differ, but it appears to me (again, trying to be objective) that Barton puts his facemask in Payton's chest. 

I assume that given the overturned call, the referees did not determine that there was an "indication of targeting" - there was no action by Barton to create forcible contact to Payton's head.  Some of the awkwardness of the hit was created because Payton was jumping while he was throwing.  Barton was a yard away and running full speed when Payton released the ball with both feet off the ground.

My intent isn't to speak for SoCon referees.  It's to try and answer the question on why those three "targeting" calls were made.   

Jack, are you serious? Did I miss a rule change making a quarterback NOT defenseless if it’s a screen pass? But you’re right about one thing—his face mask did go under Payton’s helmet; it was merely the crown of his helmet that hit Payton directly in the head. In any event, what evidence was there to REVERSE the call that was made? The refs blew it, as per usual, and it turned the game around. Congrats to Furman for taking advantage.