Record number of targeting calls in 2017

Targeting penalties in the top tier of college football reached an all- time high this season and the Pac-12 and Southeastern conferences had the most players flagged, according to an analysis of NCAA data and research by The Associated Press. It has been 10 years since the crackdown started on forcible hits above the shoulders of players determined to be defenseless. This season, the NCAA reported 188 enforced targeting calls in 832 regularseason games of the Bowl Subdivision; that is 30 percent more than last year, when there were 144 in 839 games. The per-game average has risen 35 percent, from 0.17 last year to 0.23 this season. It is the fourth consecutive season that targeting calls have increased. That might seem alarm- ing, but the increase doesn’t indicate a trend of headhunting in the sport, said Rogers Redding, the NCAA’s national coordinator of officials. He attributed the increase to officials getting better at detecting the penalty, more willingness of replay officials to call fouls missed on the field and the expanded definition of what constitutes a defenseless player.

The calls may be up, but play is likely safer.

“Players are getting their head out of it, they’re lowering their strike zone, you don’t see as much of a launch, but you still see a crouch and upward thrust,” he said. “Even though the numbers are up, the player behavior overall has changed.”

The NCAA compiles its numbers through reports submitted each week by conferences. A conference report includes any targeting call made by its of- ficiating crews, even if the penalty was against an opponent from another conference. The NCAA report, therefore, would not always reflect the actual number of targeting fouls committed by players in a particular league.

The AP verified the circumstances of 176 targeting calls this season through official play-by-play sheets, media accounts and with the assistance of school and conference sports information directors.

The SEC confirmed 27 instances of its players being flagged for targeting but declined to provide details of five calls not reported on play-by-play sheets or by the media. In all, the AP could not account for seven targeting penalties out of the 188 reported by the NCAA. Among the AP’s findings: — The Pac-12 had a nation-high 30 targeting calls against its players, with UCLA and Utah having five apiece.

— Five other FBS schools had five targeting calls: Akron, New Mexico State, Ohio State, Temple and Texas A&M.

— Akron cornerback Alvin Davis Jr. was flagged for targeting three times, most in the nation, and seven other players were each flagged twice.

— On 152 running or passing plays when targeting occurred, 46 calls were against safeties, 43 against defensive linemen, 33 against linebackers and 20 against cornerbacks.

— Of the 176 verified calls, 113 occurred on pass plays, 39 on runs, 21 on kickoffs or punts, and one each on a point- after touchdown, 2-point conversion try and field-goal attempt.

— More than half of the possessions in which targeting was called ended with a score for the offended team — 83 touchdowns, 18 field goals.