By rule, Wisconsin Badgers defensive back Derrick Tindal will miss the first half of Saturday’s matchup against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors after he was ejected last Saturday against Troy due to a targeting violation.
READ ALSO: Referee Explains Targeting Foul, Ejection
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Tindal, who was one of two Badgers to be ejected in the game because of the targeting rule, will have to sit out the first half against Hawaii as his infraction came in the second half against Troy. Leon Jacobs, who was ejected in the first quarter for his targeting violation, will be able to start Saturday.
Neither player appeared to be intentionally leading with his helmet. Jacobs drilled Troy quarterback Brandon Silvers in the upper chest/shoulder area and his momentum carried him up to Silvers’ head, while Tindal came down over the top of Troy wide receiver Ismail Saleem and caught him on the head with an elbow.
PC on targeting calls: "There's no question in my mind Leon & Derrick were trying to play the game the right way" #Badgers
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) September 21, 2015
Intentional or not, the referee went to the tape on each instance, and in both cases the call was upheld and Jacobs and Tindal saw their afternoons end early.
Clearly referees are on the lookout for targeting now more than ever. As reported by the Boston Globe, 10 players were ejected for targeting this past Saturday alone, with the Badgers responsible for two of those players and Miami (FL) responsible for two as well. Michigan State was another team to lose a player to the targeting rule.
This "targeting" rule in CFB is ridiculous. It's so hard for defenders to hit moving targets with precision. #CALvsTEXAS
— Bucky Brooks (@BuckyBrooks) September 19, 2015
The referees are obviously erring on the side of player safety, which, whatever your interpretation of the rule is, is probably the right call considering the high-risk nature of the sport and the fact that so few college players ever see the kind of money that is worth risking a major head injury for.
I understand the intent of the targeting rule is supposed to be good. But this is absurd. #Badgers DB Derrick Tindal ejected for targeting.
— Jesse Temple (@jessetemple) September 19, 2015
I'm sorry, but something about this rule has to be changed. That's the 2nd Wisconsin player ejected today for targeting. Both questionable.
— Jesse Temple (@jessetemple) September 19, 2015
What makes it frustrating, though, is the inconsistency of the calls. When Alex Erickson had a catch-and-run Saturday and was clearly hit helmet-to-helmet on the tackle, no call was made and play continued as if nothing had happened.
What's funny is Troy defender went helmet to helmet with Alex Erickson after his 45-yard catch. No call.
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) September 19, 2015
Yes, referees are human. Yes they make mistakes. But in a day and age when we have replay and even have personnel on the sidelines and in the boxes specifically looking for plays like this, they still get missed or mis-called.
I’m all for safety, but I’d like a little consistency to go along with it.
The Badgers will be without Tindal, the team’s fourth-leading tackler (17 total, seven solo) for the first half on Saturday against Hawaii.