The NCAA Football Rules Committee meets next week, and the targeting rule is at the top of the list.
In short: targeting isn't going away, and one of the possibilities would be to give instant-replay officials more power, including stopping games to enforce targeting fouls missed by the on-field officials:
The committee will discuss possible modifications to the instant replay/targeting rule and will review the experimental rule that allowed medical spotters in the press box during the 2015 season โ to consider approving it permanently โ during its meeting Feb. 9-11 in Orlando, Florida.
Committee members plan to talk about whether instant-replay officials should have even more flexibility when it comes to judging whether a targeting foul occurred. Additionally, the committee will consider allowing the instant-replay official to stop the game and enforce a targeting foul that was not detected by the on-field officials.In 2014, the targeting rule was altered to allow the instant-replay official to confirm or overturn a targeting call made by an on-field official. If the replay official found that the targeting penalty should not have been called, the call was overturned, the 15-yard penalty removed and the player allowed to stay in the game.
Also on the docket: review the implementation of the SEC and Big Ten's medical observer practices in relation to the targeting rule, review the rule regarding ineligible receivers downfield, discuss a player running with the football who has given himself up should be granted defenseless player status, and discuss allowing coaching staffs to use computers or tablets on the sideline.