Targeting in High School Football: Player Safety, Code Creep, and Tough Judgment Calls

Is this targeting at the high school level? In this segment, we break down a player-safety play involving forcible contact to the head and neck area and discuss why high school targeting rules must be judged differently than what officials may see on Saturdays or Sundays. The conversation focuses on strike zone, forcible contact, illegal helmet contact, spearing, and why “code creep” from college or NFL rules can create confusion for high school officials. We also cover:  Targeting against a runner   Lowering the strike zone   Player safety philosophy   When crew members should offer help   Why officials need rule-based judgment, not personal preference   How to defend or explain tough safety fouls on film  A strong segment for high school football officials who want to sharpen their understanding of targeting, improve safety-foul judgment, avoid code creep… and much more.