Why was there no penalty?

[longhornlegend]

I have to admit it was nice to have a call go our way. The refs could have called the knee down and/or unnecessary roughness. When the zebra’s were reviewing the play, I thought they were going call against us.

Correct. Most of the time its Texas grabbing their ankles and will be even more over the next 2 years because we are leaving the conference. I think we get such crappy ball spots on almost all runs but never see Sark really complain about anything.

 

[Duck Dodgers]

1. Yes, it seemed that Cook lowered his helmet when he hit Dekker's shoulder. I agree that it could have "looked" like helmet-to-helmet from the sideline.

2. It's targeting with a lowered head and no helmet contact IF AND ONLY IF it's a defenseless player. I don't think anyone can argue that Dekkers was defenseless there.

3. Offensive players can do whatever they want with their heads... the onus is on the defensive player to not make helmet-to-helmet contact with it. Sucks, but it is what it is.

Thanks. So for a play to be ruled targeting, then either:

The defensive plays initiates a helmet to helmet impact on any offensive player he's tacking

Or

The defensive player leads with his helmet on a "defenseless player" which usually means a QB who's in the process of throwing the ball, a player catching a pass or punt/KO, or maybe one from the blindside (though that's illegal I believe even without a helmet lead).

 

[hornde68]

Hell, I suppose I’m cool playing flag football. But, when players going 100% are supposed to KNOW a QB is down on one player contact and lay off (again at full speed) it is a physical impossibility. The rules have been stretched to virtual impossibility with the damn targeting rules. Both ways. (See Bryce Young-Alabama). If player safety is all-important/no doubt/inviolable) just play flag. Build your roster around 5’6” speed and play flag football. There are any number of malicious, mean-*** targeting plays. They are not hard to see. But, when ten refs have to review tape for 5 minutes, nothing egregious has happened. Period.