Pac-12 reinstates Cal player ejected for ‘targeting’

The Pac-12 Conference just named Led Zeppelin its iconic rock band of the week.

Well, it should have, because what the conference had over the Labor Day holiday was a “Communication Breakdown.”

In what could be the first of many issues involving enforcement of the new “targeting” rule, the Pac-12 issued an order to reinstate Cal defensive lineman Chris McCain to this week’s game against Portland State.

McCain had been ejected from Saturday’s loss for targeting Northwestern quarterback Trevor Siemian on a roughing-the-passer penalty.

Under the rule, because the play occurred in the second half, McCain would have been forced to sit out the first half of Cal’s next game.

The ejection can be overruled by instant replay, but the Pac-12 said that for some reason, officials never reviewed the play. Ejections confirmed by replay cannot be appealed, but the league said this was a special circumstance. After a Pac-12 review, it was determined that McCain should not have been ejected.

“Chris McCain is allowed to play during the entirety of this week’s game against Portland State,” conference officials said in a statement.

This is likely not the first mess-up involving the rule, so stay tuned.

Before the season, a Pac-12 coach predicted trouble.

“This targeting deal is pretty dicey,” he said at Pac-12 Media Day.

The coach?

Cal’s Sonny Dykes.

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