The Targeting Rule in College Football Essay -- Reducing Head Injurie

The targeting rule in college football could be the â€Å"most significant rule† change ever made in the game (Matter). According to Greg Johnson of the NCAA, the rule was passed by the Football Rules Committee of the NCAA in February of 2013 to be implemented with the 2013 fall football season and is consistent with the committees’ continued attempt to address player safety. The new rule now places a tougher penalty on the defensive player for dangerous contact with the offensive player, notably direct helmet-to-helmet hits, or hits aimed above the shoulders of the offensive player. This direct, helmet-to-helmet contact is known as targeting. Although the implementation of the new targeting rule is controversial, it will help to reduce the number of serious lifelong head injuries to football players and make college football a safer sport. The targeting rule will help to reduce the number of head injuries received by football players, both in college and the NFL, that lead to lifelong health issues. As Geoff Calkins from The Commercial Appeal notes in his article about Brian McCrary, there are many former college football players who suffer from moderate to severe brain damage later in life due to playing college football and having received targeted hits. The long-term effects of these head injuries suffered in the game are just being understood and acknowledged (Johnson). Andy Staples, from Sports Illustrated, notes that the targeting rule is the committees attempt to recognize the problem and help to make football a safer sport. The main purpose of the rule is to â€Å"save players’ brains† from permanent damage, with the secondary purpose to help make the sport safer (Couch). Football is a contact sport, but with this ... ...13. Web. 19 October 2013. Matter, Dave. â€Å"SEC official calls latest targeting rule dramatic.† St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 18 July 2013: Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 19 October 2013. Mihoces, Gary. â€Å"More padding the issue of concussions and better helmets.† USA Today Sports. 23 August 2013. Web. 29 November 2013. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2013 and 2014 NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations. Indianapolis: NCAA, 2013. Print. Reardon, Dave. Editorial, Further Review Column. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser. 21 July 2013: Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 19 October 2013. Shapiro, Leonard. â€Å"Appealing and Appalling.† The Commercial Appeal. 27 October 2013. 3V. Print. Staples, Andy. â€Å"New targeting rule well intended, but bound to spark controversy.† Sportsillustrated.com/college-football. 23 July 2013. Web. 19 October 2013.