Richard LeCounte III ejected for targeting vs. Auburn (Video)
By John Buhler
Richard LeCounte III makes it two questionable targeting calls on Saturday night.
Richard LeCounte III joins Smoke Monday as two star defensive backs ejected for targeting.
With the Georgia Bulldogs taking a commanding 24-3 lead into halftime at home in the latest rendition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, many in Dawg Nation are questioning why SEC officials are handing out targeting calls like parking tickets. Auburn Tigers defensive back Monday was ejected early in the first quarter. Now, LeCounte has to watch the second half from the sidelines.
Georgia preseason All-American Richard LeCounte was just ejected for targeting on this mouth-guard dislodging hit pic.twitter.com/yg1sOFxmQB
— Connor O'Gara (@cjogara) October 4, 2020
The only reason Richard LeCounte was ejected was because of the flying mouthpiece
It should have been a third-down stop on the Auburn offense. LeCounte came out of the end zone to lay a hard hit on Auburn receiver Shedrick Jackson near the goal line. Jackson may have been somewhat defenseless, but what was LeCounte to do? He hit Jackson mostly with his shoulder to force the incompletion. Now Georgia and Auburn are down the best defensive back going forward.
Tough DQ for LeCounte. It met the targeting guidelines, but the WR's changing body position put the collision on a helmet-to-helmet (or shoulder-to-helmet) plane. Not sure how else a safety can deliver a hit there without conceding the catch. https://t.co/R85ULM5Lcm
— G. Allan Taylor (@GAllanTaylor) October 4, 2020
Tough call on LeCounte. However, there was forcible (accidental) contact to the head/neck area.
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawford247) October 4, 2020
Targeting is CFB's most subjective rule and it gets called correctly about half the time.
Really hate this targeting rule in college football, how is #2 Lecounte III suppose to defend that pass to help his team? Then suspended for the rest of game. U don’t even suspend NFL player how is this the right way to handle a non professional. #UGAvsAub
— Rashad Johnson (@rashadjohnson) October 4, 2020
Georgia has the talent all over its defense to offset the second-half loss of LeCounte. The Dawgs also have a three-touchdown lead over an Auburn team that couldn’t find the end zone in the first half. Though the Tigers were awarded a new set of downs after LeCounte’s hit on Jackson, they couldn’t find pay dirt and had to settle for an Anders Carlson field goal to make it 24-3, Georgia.
LeCounte AND Monday should not have been ejected from Week 5’s signature ballgame.
50 best college football teams of all time. dark. Next
For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.