If there’s a picture in the dictionary of what a targeting penalty is, this one will be replacing it.
During Thursday night’s ACC clash between the University of Pittsburgh and Boston College, a 24-16 Pitt win, Eagles defensive back Khari Johnson was ejected in the second quarter for an egregious personal foul with a hit to the head.
On a first-and-10 at Pitt’s own 45-yard line, quarterback Nate Yarnell took a snap out of the shotgun and faked a handoff before lobbing the ball downfield for tight end Malcolm Epps.
Already tightly draped by KP Price, Epps had little room to make a grab before Johnson made it all but impossible when he leaped into the air and knocked the ball loose with an ugly helmet-to-helmet hit.
A penalty was immediately called on the field and was eventually upheld, giving Pitt 15 yards along with Johnson’s ejection.
His actions looked eerily similar to one of the indications of targeting that the NCAA looks for in a penalty in that vain.
“Launch a player leaving his feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust of the body to make forcible contact in the head or neck area,” part of the rulebook reads.
While Pitt ended up getting the extra yardage and was in good shape to add some points, the drive stalled out after the Panthers went for a fourth-and-short and could not convert.
Before the foul, it was a big game for Johnson, who recorded his first career interception on an impressive grab in the end zone, which was initially ruled incomplete before being overturned into an interception and touchback.
Johnson, a senior, is in his first season at Boston College after three years at Arkansas.
He had two tackles on Thursday night before exiting the game.