BleacherCoaches.com

Nobody ever said football wasn't a rough sport. Players can get hurt on any play at any time during a game. An injury last night during the Pitt/Va game more than likely cost Pitt a victory.
Halfway into the 3rd quarter, with Pitt winning 13-7 and driving into Va territory, Pitt QB Eli Holstein (while sliding during a running play) was hit high and late by Virginia's Mike Diatta. Diatta was called for a personal foul and was ejected for targeting. Holstein lay on the ground and returned to the sidelines, never to return to the game, missing 3/4th of the second half. Pitt inserted their second-stringer, who like most substitutes was not as good as their starter. Doesn't seem fair.
That's why I am proposing the Even Steven Rule for targeting. The rule states: If a QB, RB or WR is injured during a targeting incident, and cannot return to play after the hit, the team of the targeter must remove the same corresponding player from their line-up. For example, if the Chiefs are playing the Ravens, and Lamar Jackson is targeted and cannot return to the game because of the hit, Kansas City MUST remove Mahomes from their line-up. Makes sense, right? Since targeting is so serious, this may keep these incidents to a minimum. What's good for the goose, is good for the gander.

Team A has a great QB and their backup is horrible. Team B has two average QB's. Team B's game plan is to take out team A's QB ASAP. The rule helps the targeting team.

Head Referee to both coaches: "Wait until we consult the King James Old Testament" to proceed". Interesting concept but it will never work.

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old school wrote: November 10th, 2024, 9:02 am Team A has a great QB and their backup is horrible. Team B has two average QB's. Team B's game plan is to take out team A's QB ASAP. The rule helps the targeting team.

X2 this

What’s stopping a team from starting their backup QB until the other QB is hurt bad enough to be sidelined? Then their “starter” is benched and their true starter comes in.

Sounds good in theory but would never work

So many on here would agree with Virginia's coach Tony Elliot who said after the game, "I'm super proud of how everyone responded in our come from behind effort". Wouldn't be shocked if Mike Diatta was given the game ball while the Wahoos hooted and hollered all around Acrisure Stadium at games end. Even the announcers did not mention the TARGETING incident, just that Pitt's QB was INJURED in the second half.

Or, how about, develop a deeper program with more positional depth. Get a better back up. As has already been stated, players get hurt all the time. Sucks when it's an offensive skill guy, but it happens every week. The opposition did lose a player in this case. I think not having a solid backup QB ready to go is a serious indictment on the coaching staff.

Diving forward is a much safer alternative to sliding. I don't know why this isn't implemented more. When QBs start sliding, they delay the most important part of their body getting to safety the latest. If a defender is committed to the hit, they are usually aiming for the midsection knowing that any high hit will disqualify them. Sliding keeps the head/neck area in the target zone for the entirety of the play. Diving forward...the player gets down early and defenders going over the top will result in them hitting their legs if anything at all. Plus with diving any blow sustained would be similar to running straight forward, where as if you're hit like Holstein was the impact from the defender to his head is bad, but the back of the head impacting the ground is oftentimes worse.

In Little League baseball, sliding headfirst into home and into the catcher is not allowed. It's too dangerous to the runner. I feel a QB sliding headfirst into an oncoming tackler is dangerous also.