I’ve looked at rules again for both targeting and spear tackling and what we saw in the game had to be either one or the other. It could not be neither. I hate to cry over spilt milk but it would be easier to accept this loss if I did not know the refs threw the game to uga. When I say “threw” I am not suggesting intention or rigging, I’m just describing the actual end result of this egregious no call.
When I first played football, more years ago than I care to mention, they actually taught spear tackling as proper technique. The theory was that spear tackling accomplish several things at once. It saved you from injuring one of your arms if you were off center and the ball carrier put most of his impact on one arm. They believed it saved you from neck injury by aligning your neck, head, and spine in one line. It focused as much energy as possible through the top of your helmet and into the middle of the runner’s body. The tackle I reviewed on tape was textbook spearing, which is illegal. It also appeared, though this is not as conclusive, that he aimed at the neck area of the runner. This also makes it targeting if that is the case.
