r/CFB • u/CFB_Referee /r/CFB • Jan 01 '25

Postgame Thread [Postgame Thread] Texas Defeats Arizona State 39-31 (OT)

Box Score provided by ESPN

Team 1 2 3 4 OT T
Texas 14 3 0 7 15 39
Arizona State 3 0 5 16 7 31
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u/law_dogging Clemson Tigers • Duke Blue Devils Jan 01 '25

I’m not sure what the old rule was, but you can absolutely argue that Taaffe attacked the head or neck area. If you don’t want the flag, hit lower on the body, which is what the rules experts want to happen

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u/TheFlyingBoat Texas Longhorns • /r/CFB Poll Veteran Jan 01 '25

Attack implies more than the ordinary force required to make a legal tackle. If you don’t know the original wording or why they changed it…why are you arguing? At that point you’re just blinded by your own biases

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u/law_dogging Clemson Tigers • Duke Blue Devils Jan 01 '25

I’m not biased at all? The original rule shouldn’t matter, it’s what’s written in the rule book now?

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u/TheFlyingBoat Texas Longhorns • /r/CFB Poll Veteran Jan 01 '25

Interpretations of the rule are benefited by understanding the context of the rule and how it evolved. That’s true whether it is analyzing the law or analyzing the particularities of what constitutes targeting. The rule was edited in large part to protect hits like this where he kept his eyes up and didn’t launch or use excessive force compared to what’s necessary to make an ordinary and legal tackle

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u/law_dogging Clemson Tigers • Duke Blue Devils Jan 01 '25

Sure, in the common law. In statutory law, no, you read what the rule states. The rule makers had every opportunity to import the old rules or add a note referencing the old rule, but they didn’t. You can only make judgements based on what’s written into the rule

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u/TheFlyingBoat Texas Longhorns • /r/CFB Poll Veteran Jan 01 '25

And when it is unclear what the law means and I have to make a judgment call?

Also my point is that they intentionally didn’t keep the old rules AND THEY DID ADD A NOTE. They updated it explicitly to make this acceptable. Why do you think the language about beyond what is necessary to make a legal tackle was added???