Proposed NCAA rule would warrant ejections for defenders who target head of defenseless players

On Wednesday, the NCAA Football Rules Committee unanimously approved a proposed rule to eject a player deemed guilty for targeting the head of an opponent, in addition to the existing 15-year penalty already assessed on such a play.The move is part of a continuing effort to improve player safety and reduce head injuries in the sport. If approved by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel next month, college football fans would see the change take place as soon as the 2013 season across all NCAA divisions.Air Force head coach and chairman Troy Calhoun said the committee desired to implement more stringent measures to deter a defender in leading with the crown of his helmet to tackle a defenseless player above the shoulders."It's a real problem in the sport," he said, "and we need to eliminate it."There were 99 targeting penalties called in the Football Bowl Subdivision last season. Under the proposed rule, each would have warranted an ejection."Ultimately, our ...