Boise State was haunted by targeting penalties last year. Now there’s an appeal process

College football teams can now appeal targeting penalties issued in the second half of games all the way to the NCAA national coordinator of officials.

Targeting is defined as a player “taking aim at an opponent for purposes of attacking with forcible contact that goes beyond making a legal tackle or legal block or playing the ball,” according to NCAA rules. It’s usually called when a tackler leads with the crown of his helmet or makes contact with the head or neck area of a receiver or ball carrier.

Teams are penalized 15 yards, and the player called for the foul is disqualified for the rest of the game if the foul occurs in the first half. If a player is called for targeting in the second half, they’re disqualified for the rest of the game and have to sit out the first half of the following contest.

Under the new rule, which the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Committee approved this spring, teams can appeal second-half targeting calls through the Mountain West Conference.

The process will begin with the conference submitting a request to the NCAA national coordinator of officials, Steve Shaw, who will review video of the play. If it’s clear that a player was incorrectly penalized for targeting, the call will be overturned and the player will be cleared to play in the next game.

Targeting calls are immediately reviewed by replay officials during games, but Boise State football coach Andy Avalos said Monday that a clearly defined process for ensuring athletes don’t miss further playing time because of inaccurate calls was needed.

“If you go through and study the data on the plays that get reviewed on the field, very few get overturned,” Avalos said.

There has always been a grievance process for teams that believe penalties were called incorrectly, but this is the first true appeals process, according to a spokesperson for the Mountain West.

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Boise State felt the sting of the targeting rule last season. Starters missed playing time in five games because of the penalty.

Former Boise State nickel Kekaula Kaniho missed the first half of the Broncos’ home opener against UTEP after he was flagged for the penalty late in the season opener at UCF. Former linebacker Riley Whimpey missed the first half of the Broncos’ loss to Oklahoma State after he was penalized for targeting in the second half of the home opener.

No Boise State player was haunted more by targeting calls than safety JL Skinner last season. He was flagged for it three times and missed playing time in the Broncos’ wins at Colorado State and No. 10 BYU because of it. The third targeting penalty called on Skinner was overturned on review.

The best way for Skinner and the entire defense to avoid those penalties this year is to keep their eyes up and their heads out of tackles, Boise State safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator Kane Ioane said.

“If we’re teaching them proper technique, it shouldn’t be a problem,” Ioane said. “We want to be aggressive and fly to the ball, but we can’t afford to have guys missing time because they’re not playing with proper leverage and technique.”

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Other rules changes approved by the NCAA this year:

▪ If a player is believed to have faked an injury to gain a timeout during a game, conferences can now report it to the national coordinator of officials, who will review the alleged deception and offer feedback. Any penalties levied will be up to the conference office or school involved.

▪ Blocking below the waist is now only allowed by offensive linemen and stationary backs inside the tackle box. It is prohibited outside the tackle box.

▪ In an effort to curb fake slides, a move made famous last season by former Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett, officials will now declare players down at the spot where they initiate a feet-first slide.

▪ Defensive holding remains a 10-yard penalty but will also result in an automatic first down.

BOISE STATE AT OREGON STATE

When: 8:30 p.m. MT Saturday

Where: Reser Stadium, Corvallis, Oregon

TV: ESPN (Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison, Stormy Buonantony)

Radio: KBOI 670 AM/KTIK 93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)

Series: Boise State and Oregon State have played nine times, and the Beavers own a 5-4 advantage in the series. The Broncos won their last meeting, beating Oregon State on the road 38-24 in 2016.

Vegas line: Oregon State by 3

Weather: High of 85 degrees, 7% chance of rain, 11 mph winds