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The Daily Insight

What is targeting in high school football

Author

Rachel Hunter

Published Mar 15, 2026

Targeting, according to NFHS, is the “act of taking aim and initiating contact to an opponent above the shoulders with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulders.” In other words, anything other than playing the ball on a legal tackle will result in a targeting penalty.

What is the targeting rule in high school football?

The idea of the rule is to make players more aware of the hits they are making, as well as to reduce the number of “retribution” shots players take at their opponents. A player guilty of targeting is subject to ejection from the game, pending a review of the hit.

What qualifies as targeting?

” ‘Targeting’ means that a player takes aim at an opponent for purposes of attacking with forcible contact that goes beyond making a legal tackle or a legal block or playing the ball.”

What counts as targeting in football?

According to the NFL rulebook, targeting occurs if a player lowers his head to initiate and make contact with his helmet against an opponent. The penalty for targeting is also 15 yards, and players may be disqualified.

Do they call targeting in high school?

The National Federation of State High School Associations recently defined targeting, but don’t expect a jump in ejections like there was in college football last season. That’s because a targeting call in a high school game will be a 15-yard penalty but not also an automatic ejection like it is in college football.

Can you lead with your helmet in high school football?

Current strategies include penalizing players for high-risk behavior such as leading with their helmet or hitting an opposing player above the shoulder. … Most young football players use their helmets to block or tackle despite being taught they would be penalized or potentially injured if they did so.

Can you get ejected in high school football?

High school football Rules of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) state any player or team official that receives two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the same game is automatically disqualified.

What happens if your helmet comes off in college football?

a. If during the down a player’s helmet comes completely off, other than as the direct result of a foul by an opponent, the player must leave the game for the next down. The game clock will stop at the end of the down.

Can an offensive player be called for targeting?

When in question, it is a foul. No player shall target and make forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent (See Note 2 below) with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder. … When in question, it is a foul. Seems simple enough on paper but it’s often hard to determine in a live game.

Can you lead with your head in football?

The Rule: As approved by NFL clubs in March, it is a foul if a player lowers his head to initiate and make contact with his helmet against an opponent. Contact does not have to be to an opponent’s head or neck area – lowering the head and initiating contact to an opponent’s torso, hips, and lower body, is also a foul.

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How many targeting calls are there in 2021 college football?

According to Sports Illustrated, during the first three weeks of the 2021 season, officials called targeting 105 times and 45 of those were overturned on replay. 60 targeting fouls were enforced in 243 games, or one targeting call every four games (. 25).

What is a defenseless player in football?

Players in a defenseless posture are: A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass (passing posture) A receiver attempting to catch a pass who has not had time to clearly become a runner.

Which college football team has the most targeting penalties?

RankTeamPenalties1Northwestern2702Iowa3113Penn State3254Minnesota320

Can you hurdle a player in high school football?

In high school football, you will find that hurdling is almost always illegal. This rule was put in place in order to keep the players safe at the high school level. If you do commit a hurdle at the high school level you will be assessed a fifteen-yard penalty for illegal contact/ personal foul.

How much do NFL players get fined for giving a ball away?

In the NFL, players are not charged for giving the ball specifically to one fan. In an instance where they threw it randomly into the crowd, they would be charged $5,787 for their first offense. A second offense warrants their payment of $11,576.

What is the penalty for throwing a punch in the NFL?

In the NFL, any contact with an official and throwing a punch is an immediate disqualification but other penalties, such as taunting, can go with a warning, and a second offense leads to an ejection.

Can you throw a punch in football?

Rule Summary View Official Rule There shall be no unsportsmanlike conduct. This applies to any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship. Such acts specifically include, among others: Throwing a punch, or a forearm, or kicking at an opponent, even though no contact is made.

When the ball is loose following an illegal kick?

An illegal kick is any intentional striking of the ball with the knee, lower leg or foot which does not comply with Articles 3 and 4. When the ball is loose following an illegal kick, it retains the same status as prior to the illegal kick.

Can you grab helmets in football?

In American football, it’s illegal for any player to grasp or manipulate an opposing player’s helmet. This illegal action results in a personal foul, which is almost always penalized by losing yardage and can cause expulsion from the game in extreme cases.

Is taking off your helmet a penalty?

This penalty is not called that often and most often occurs in the endzone during a celebration. The NFL and NCAA are notorious for not allowing big scale celebrations after a team scores. The NFL has recently allowed celebrations to come back, but taking the helmet off is still illegal.

What is the crown of the helmet in football?

The crown is the very top of the helmet. This rule was designed not only to protect the player receiving the blow, but also the player delivering it. Violations of this rule will result in 15-yard penalties for unnecessary roughness, and potential discipline.

Can a runner be called for targeting?

“He’s still a runner,” someone might say, or “he hasn’t slid to give himself up.” Those are things that would make him “defenseless,” but he can still be targeted via the crown of the helmet rule.

What are the stickers for on Ohio State's helmets?

Sharp-eyed viewers may see stickers on the back of Ohio State’s helmets when they play. Those stickers depict buckeye leaves and are awarded to players for exceptional play.

Do college players keep their helmets?

Correspondingly, do college football players get to keep their helmets? Penn State, Alabama, Southern California and Michigan are among the schools that still have their players wear one helmet — as long as it remains functional.

Can you take your helmet off in NFL?

This is from Section 3, Article 1 of the NFL rulebook, which addresses unsportsmanlike conduct: “Removal of his helmet by a player in the field of play or the end zone during a celebration or demonstration, or during a confrontation with a game official or any other player.”

What is a bench warning in football?

The sideline infraction penalty is called in football when a coach or player enters the restricted area on the sideline. This restricted area is reserved for the officials and line crew only and runs the length of the field.

Why can't you take your helmet off in the NFL?

The question is: Did he do it in celebration? Taking off a helmet in the field of play is unsportsmanlike conduct and should result in a 15-yard penalty. Officials did not throw a flag on Hill. The Chiefs elected to go for two points, and Patrick Mahomes completed a pass to Mecole Hardman to tie the game at 17.

Why did NFL ban face masks?

The NFL Bans Customized Facemasks Because Football Isn’t Supposed to Be Fun. … The website reports NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy sent an email to NFL.com, asserting players will need medical clearance if they want to look truly original out on the field.

When did NFL ban helmet helmets?

As of 1996, the NFL implemented a rule change that banned helmet-to-helmet hits initiated by defenders with their helmet or targeted at the head of an offensive player. It introduced a penalty; personal foul misconduct and resulted in a 15-yard penalty and fines from the NFL.

How long is a player out after targeting?

A player is suspended for a full game separate from the one in which he’s playing after three targeting calls in a season. So far this season, five FBS players have been hit with two targeting fouls. In the shortened 2020 season, two players had three targeting fouls.

How do challenges work in college football?

Each head coach is allowed one challenge per game which he exercises by requesting a timeout for purposes of instant replay. He may have a second challenge, for a maximum of two, only if the first is successful and he has a timeout available.