Midwestern State player, 19, dies following injury

A 19-year-old Midwestern State University football player has died after suffering a neck injury while making a tackle during a home game last weekend.

School President Suzanne Shipley on Wednesday released a statement mourning the death of cornerback Robert Grays of Houston. Shipley says Grays died Tuesday at a hospital in his hometown. He was critically injured during a game Saturday in Wichita Falls.

Athletics department spokesman Blake Barington says Grays suffered a neck injury while making a tackle in the fourth quarter of a 35-13 victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville. Grays was taken by ambulance to a Wichita Falls hospital, then transported to Houston.

Counselors were available at MSU, a Division II school in the Lone Star Conference.

Targeting calls increase substantially

College football’s Bowl Subdivision has seen a 73 percent increase in the number of targeting penalties enforced through the first three weeks of the season compared with the same point in 2016.

National coordinator of officials Rogers Redding reported Wednesday that 55 targeting penalties have been enforced in 214 games (0.26 per game). Last year at this time, 35 targeting penalties had been enforced in 230 games (0.15).

Targeting is called if a player uses the crown of his helmet to strike an opponent above the shoulders or strikes the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with a helmet, forearm, hand, elbow or shoulder.

The rule didn’t change from last year. Redding said the increase could be attributed to on-field and replay officials becoming more comfortable making the call.