LB Sinclair available for Stanford vs. Notre Dame after Pac-12 rescinds targeting penalty
Stanford received bittersweet news this week when fifth-year linebacker Tristan Sinclair’s targeting penalty against Cal was overturned.
On the one hand, it meant that the team’s defensive leader and second-leading tackler will be available to play the entire game Saturday when the Cardinal closes its season against No. 17 Notre Dame at Stanford Stadium (4 p.m., Pac-12 Network) instead of being forced to sit out the first half.
On the other hand, it meant Sinclair was ejected based on an erroneous call midway through the third quarter of last Saturday’s Big Game loss to Cal. At the time, Sinclair had a game-high 10 tackles and had almost forced a first-quarter fumble (the ruling was changed to an incomplete pass after further review).
“We wish that they would have overturned it immediately,” fellow fifth-year linebacker Spencer Jorgensen said. “Tristan played for one half and was defensive player of the game, in my opinion – leading tackler, he laid all the best hits. So initially all of our reaction was disappointment to see our defensive leader that just has absolutely played his heart out for 11 games, to see him removed from the game like that, that hurt all of us.”
Stanford appealed the targeting call after the game and the Pac-12 reversed the decision on Monday, which provided a boost of energy to a defense that is about to face the 14th-ranked scoring offense in the country at 37.5 points a game.
“Immediately in the group chats everybody’s just turning up because our guy is back,” Jorgensen said. “They freed our boy.”
Sinclair’s 10 tackles against the Bears were a career high. He has now posted 68 tackles in his first season as a full-time starter.
Cardinal coach Troy Taylor felt that the officials were influenced by Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza staying down on the field after being hit by Sinclair, which made the hit seem more egregious.
“I think most people are very confused, me being one of those, on what is targeting and what is not,” Taylor said. “Sometimes it seems like it’s the reaction of the player you hit that does play a role. They would probably tell you that’s not the case, but using common sense, that seems to happen.”
Sinclair knew immediately after seeing the replay that his tackle on Mendoza wasn’t targeting, and was surprised it wasn’t overturned by video replay when the call was initially made. Having the conference acknowledge its mistake days later led to mixed emotions.
“To be honest, it was a bit frustrating, just because of the way the game was going and I was having fun out there and I wanted to keep playing with my teammates,” Sinclair said. “It’s a bummer that those calls get made on the spot and they throw players out all over the country, and then they get overturned.”
Sinclair and corner Zahran Manley are the only fifth-year seniors in the starting lineup. Seventeen players who could have been key contributors instead transferred out when longtime coach David Shaw resigned at the end of last season, and the Cardinal (3-8, 2-7 Pac-12) have predictably struggled this year. But Sinclair, whose father Andrew also played football at Stanford, doesn’t regret his decision to stay.
“It’s turned into an incredible opportunity for me,” Sinclair said. “I’m really happy with my decision and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
Sinclair is one of 26 seniors and fifth-years who will be honored Saturday on Senior Day, although almost all of those players can still play next season. That includes Sinclair, who redshirted as a freshman and has an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
Players will announce their future plans in the next month or so, but first they have one last game together.
“It’s crazy how fast the season goes by,” Sinclair said. “I try to tell guys all the time, don’t take it for granted, and we work 365 (days a year) just for 12 opportunities, 12 games. So I’m definitely emotional about it, and excited to be out there with the guys.”