Nation's top official admits error in Auburn-Penn State targeting ejection

National Coordinator of Officials Steve Shaw admitted on ESPN College Gameday that the crucial targeting call on Auburn linebacker Zakoby McClain in the Tigers’ loss to Penn State was wrong.

“Even though he’s been wrapped up, you see that right shoulder moving to the goal line, him diving for the ball, this is not a defenseless player,” Shaw said, explaining why the targeting call was wrong. “So if he’s not defenseless it can only be a crown of the helmet hit and as you see the player comes in, there’s no crown here. “

Shaw continued.

“The judgement is ‘is he defenseless,'” Shaw said. “And in this situation he is definitely not defenseless.”

McClain was ejected from Auburn’s 28-20 loss to Penn State early in the fourth quarter after being called for targeting for a hit on Penn State wide receiver Parker Washington.

Washington was in the process of reaching out for the end zone, at the Auburn one-yard line and McClain did not lead with the crown of his helmet. The Nittany Lions wound up punching in the winning touchdown on the drive. The clip of the hit was shown in College Gameday as Steve Shaw discussed the error.

Wrong call was made according to head of officials Steve Shaw! pic.twitter.com/C8HAIHeUGU

— Patrick Gregory (@Patrick85023906) September 25, 2021

Players and coaches across the countries let their frustrations be known about the targeting penalty, and the ejection that comes with it, in a segment on College Gameday on Saturday.

"There's a difference between a guy making a football play and somebody deliberately trying to hurt somebody. We need to wake up."

Coaches and players weigh in on the controversial targeting rule. pic.twitter.com/1Ln4CtzSUy

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) September 25, 2021

Through three weeks of the season, there have been 60 confirmed targeting penalties and 45 targeting penalties overturned. According to Shaw, 75% of all targeting calls have been crown of the helmet hits.

But why the ejection?

More than the targeting penalty itself, the frustrations have come from the ejection that comes with the penalty. If a player is called for targeting and the call is upheld by review, the player is ejected for the remainder of the game. If the penalty happens in the second half, the player is suspended for the first half of the following game as well.

Steve Shaw stated on College Gameday that the targeting rule will be looked at this offseason and potentially changed. The worry for Shaw and officials is that removing ejections as a punishment for targeting will affect the impact how seriously the rule will be followed by players.

“This year will be a year for rule changes,” Shaw said. “There’s always going to be a gray area, we’ll keep working on that. I think the thing that is so important to players is playing time and that’s the impact of the rule. And if you just took the disqualifications out, then it may not have the impact.”

Steve Shaw is in his second season as National Coordinator of Officals and also serves as secretary-rules editor of the NCAA Football Rules Committee. Shaw previously served as coordinator of officials for the Southeastern Conference and Sun Belt Conference.

Steve Shaw served as coordinator of officials for the SEC from 2011-2020, and in the same position for the Sun Belt Conference from 2014-2020.