Target suspension of Devin White maintained after strong resistance from LSU



[ad_1]

Officials eliminated linebacker Devin White of the LSU from the Tigers' victory over the Mississippi on Saturday. White's ejection took place in the second half of LSU's defeat, which meant he was suspended for the job. first next match of the Tigers. This is a 10-week blockbuster against Alabama, making it a blow for LSU.

LSU Sports Director Joe Alleva reportedly fought the suspension, but to no avail. White will miss the first half against Bama.

On Sunday, L & # 39; lawyer reported that "Alleva had" been on the phone with league officials since the phone call ", although there is no formal appeal procedure.

And on Monday, Nola.com confirmed that this would not happen:

"Discussions with the SEC clearly showed that there was no appeal procedure," Munson said. "The suspension will be maintained."

The discussions were not controversial, Munson said. The rule as it is written leaves no chance for a call. Alleva spent the last 48 hours trying, but he could not do much.

There is now a GoFundMe for a billboard in front of the SEC office in Birmingham, "to let them know that the time has come for #FreeDevinWhite."

He collected more than $ 4,000 Monday night and stood on the site:

#FreeDevinWhite

We are putting up a billboard for two weeks in Birmingham, Alabama, where the SEC's headquarters is located, to let them know that it's #FreeDevinWhite time.

A billboard sign in downtown Birmingham will cost $ 2305.

An I-65 display panel will cost $ 1845.

We will fund as many billboards as possible, any excess being donated to the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, in the honor of Devin's love for horses.

It's a Tigre de Geaux.

The second could could cancel the half-suspension of White, because the conferences manage the games. But this is an NCAA rule and it would be very unusual for a league to post its national rules.

The NCAA book is pretty clear on the penalty for second-half fouls:

For fouls committed in the second half: Disqualification for the rest of the match and the first half of the next match.

Conferences have their own rules on a host of issues. For example, different leagues allow road teams to have formations of different sizes. Different leagues have different transfer rules. Different leagues have different policies on fans who take the field by storm. On these topics, conferences can do almost anything they want, subject to certain NCAA rules.

But the real playing rulebook, which includes the line on players suspended for the first half of the next match after a foul of targeting in the second half? It covers all NCAA games, be it the SEC, Pac-12 or Division III.

I do not know what the NCAA could have done to the SEC if it ended White's suspension. The SEC might have been able to work around the problem by retroactively canceling the call to targeting, but since league reviewers have confirmed this call and obtained since a public statement of support from the from the league office, it would have been strange enough.

The justification for White's ejection was quite simple, although people did not agree at all with the rule.

White seemed to touch quarterback Nick Fitzgerald of the Mississippi State near his head while Fitzgerald made a pass. Here is the relevant part of the NCAA targeting rule:

No player can target and make forced contact the region of the head or neck of a defenseless opponent (see note 2 below) with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder. This fault requires that there be at least one targeting indicator (see Note 1 below). When it is involved, it is a fault (Rules 2-27-14 and 9-6). (A.R. 9-1-4-I-VI)

Note 1: "Targeting" means that a player is targeting an opponent for the purpose of attacking with forced contact that goes beyond simply tackling or blocking the player or playing the ball. Some targeting indicators include, but are not limited to:

* Lancement-a player leaving his feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust of the body to make violent contact in the area of ​​the head or neck

* Squatting followed by upward and forward thrust attack with violent contact at the head or neck, even if one foot or both feet are still on the ground

* Head with helmet, shoulder, forearm, fist, hand or elbow attack with violent contact at the head or neck

Lower the head before attacking by initiating a forced contact with the crown of the helmet

Another key element is the definition of "defenseless player". Among these:

A player in the train or just after throwing a pass.

The targeting rule also prohibits contact with the crown of the helmet. That's not what caused White's problems in this room, though. As the SEC explained:

"As a general rule, no player should aim or force the area of ​​the head or neck of a defenseless opponent. The QB on the game was defenseless at the time of contact. Typically, all targeting calls are reviewed. The appeal has been reviewed and confirmed.

LSU fans were furious at the call, and they continued to boo a whole car later, long after White's departure for the locker room.

This It seemed unnaturally long for people to be upset by a targeting call. The cycle usually ends much faster. What has happened since then is unique.

[ad_2]
Source link