Yes, you are talking about the "targeting" rule. Now, if after review the player is NOT guilty of targeting the penalty will not be enforced. At least that is the way I understand it. I"m cautious because it is in fact the NCAA so who knows.
Low Hits on the Passer: I suspect we're going to see a handful of cases with a teams' fan base calling for a flag when their QB is hit because they don't know, or ignore, a key phrase in that rule; "...who is in a passing posture."
No doubt. What I'll be waiting for is, a savvy quarterback to put up an impromptu pass when he senses he is about to be hit low.
It's going to be hard for a guy to assume a passing posture in a quick, impromptu type of motion, don't you think? It certainly seems to me this rule covers guys who are sitting in the pocket.
It's meant to protect drop-back passers looking downfield. But I suspect some "mobile quarterbacks" on the option or rollout will start faking a "passing posture" when they think they are about to be ankle-tackled. Lots of gray area here.
How the rules have changed....check out these highlights from LSU over Tennessee in '88. At 6:05, LSU runs a sweep, back is run out of bounds. On his 4th step out of bounds, he gets drilled right in front of the ref, who just waves the play dead. Today, there would have been a penalty, and possibly an ejection.
It was a could then, the ref just didn't call it. The one thing that is lame about the SEC is the quality of referees. They almost never call holding anymore.
