DALLAS - When he was here in 2013 and college football announced targeting penalties would be accompanied by ejections, Karl Joseph was said to be at risk. Three seasons and 29 games later, maybe the best safety in West Virginia history was never ejected and never even assessed a personal foul for hitting a defenseless opponent.
But on Tuesday, the conclusion of the Big 12's media days, we were made to revisit the past and revise Joseph's record.
As Big 12 coordinator of officials Walt Anderson explained broadened authority for reviewing targeting, which is new to the sport this season and gives the replay official the ability to stop a game, review a play and assess targeting, he pointed out Joseph's vicious hit last season against Oklahoma receiver Dede Westbrook.
It wasn't targeting that day. It was called targeting Tuesday.
"It should have been called on the field," Anderson said. "We missed this, and this would be one that this year we would want the instant replay official to stop."
To call it targeting, it seems, wasn't enough. Anderson said it was "clear and obvious and evident and egregious," thanks to an angle afforded by a camera on the sideline. With that in mind, it made sense for the NCAA to give officiating crews the ability to access the replay official, who can use all the available tools to not only hand out targeting calls but to review whether a defender used the crown of his helmet or hit a defenseless player in the head or neck area.
Anderson said it wasn't fair to say Joseph's hit was at the center of the national discussion that led to the addition. That instead went to a needless targeting ejection in the Michigan-Michigan State last season. But Joseph's hit was the Big 12's lone contribution to the conversation.
To be sure, that does not sit well with WVU's following, the most vocal still insist Joseph did it right and was not in the wrong. But Anderson said there's no arguing it was targeting. The officials tell coaches and coaches now tell players that there are four "low-risk indicators" that can be taught, learned and remembered to avoid targeting:
Keep your head up. Wrap up. Move your head to the side. Lower your strike zone.
"He pretty much had all the negative indicators on that," Anderson said.
Anderson batted down all the possible defenses. Joseph's helmet did hit Westbrook's, proving his head was not up, but some argue Joseph would have hit Westbrook in the torso if the receiver wasn't on his way to the ground.
Anderson said officials allow for "position change" to sometimes grant defenders exceptions. If a defender's head is to the side or his arms are out to wrap up and he then hits an offensive player in the head or neck because that offensive player changed the position of his body, the defender can he forgiven.
But Anderson said this was not one of those plays and that Joseph had an opportunity to change his attack. He could have used more of his body or his arms to make the play or he could have backed off when - or, more accurately, if - he saw Westbrook couldn't protect himself.
"It is their responsibility to avoid unnecessary contact," Anderson said.
That had to be difficult in the moment, because it was such a sudden play and happened with a speed that made it hard to police. But you could see it coming as Joseph tracked the flight of a pass headed to Shepard, and officials, who Anderson said were in motion when the contact occurred, still didn't throw a penalty flag.
"It wasn't that I couldn't believe they didn't call it," Anderson said. "I was just very disappointed that they didn't."
Others were not, and they believe Joseph was innocent. Some believe he hit the ball, if not first, then certainly immediately. Ordinarily, a helmet to the ball and a fumble or an incomplete pass is a good play. Anderson said a rule change from three years ago redefined that, and officials no longer consider the point of initial contact.
"It's the direction of the forcible contact," he said. "If the forcible contact ends up around the head and neck area, regardless of where it was initiated, it still meets the targeting components."
Joseph made matters worse by what happened when he made contact, first with his approach and then with his finish.
"Go back and look at that play," Anderson said. "When he comes in, watch where his hands are."
Joseph's hands are inside his shoulders and up around his neck. Anderson said just about every targeting penalty has that in common.
"They're going to bring their hands in to provide self protection," he said.
Joseph then used his arms as part of the finish, when his facemask hits Westbrook in the chest and the top of his helmet fits under Westbrook's chin.
"He's thrusting upward," Anderson said. "That's another thing you don't want to do. If you're going to thrust, thrust downward in terms of lowering your strike zone."
Contact Mike Casazza at 304-319-1142 or mikec@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @mikecasazza and read his blog at http://blogs.wvgazettemail.com/wvu/.