Brent Venables has 'no opinion' if 'Horns Down' should be a penalty

Brent Venables didn’t have a strong opinion on “Horns Down” as to whether the gesture should penalized on the field.

Whenever Oklahoma, or anybody else, beats Texas, it’s hard not to flip the “Horns Up” gesture upside down to create “Horns Down.” In a topic that dominated the day with both schools coming to the SEC, Venables didn’t budge either way.

The SEC doesn’t outwardly plan to penalize the gesture, so long as it’s not blatant taunting it seems.

“Like on the field? Is that what you’re referring to,” Venables said at SEC Media Days. “I don’t really have an opinion. You know, football is a game of emotion and intensity and passion. And if they say that’s gonna be a penalty, then don’t do it.

“And if they say it is, you know, a free for all, then have at it. So everybody’s different. Everybody celebrates different but whatever rules that they have in place we’ll follow those.”

This morning at SEC Media Days, SEC Coordinator of Officials John McDaid confirmed that Horns Down will not be considered unsportsmanlike conduct in most instances.

“Unsportsmanlike conduct needs to fit one of three categories: Is it taunting an opponent? Is it making a travesty of the game? Is it otherwise compromising our ability to manage the game?” McDaid said.

“There’s a difference between a player giving a signal directly in the face of an opponent, as opposed to doing it with teammates celebrating after a touchdown or on the sideline. To net all that out, every single occurrence is not an act of unsportsmanlike conduct.”

Venables is all for it, or not all for it if it’s going to be a penalty of course. McDaid compared Horns Down to opposing players doing the Gator Chomp or Land Shark after big plays vs. Florida or Ole Miss.

Venables is likely more worried about competing at a high level in the SEC, rather than a gesture.

Speaking with reporters at the Oklahoma celebration of joining the league on July 1, Dusty Dvoracek explained his confidence in Venables and this Sooners team going into the 2024 season. From strong recruiting so far to a retooled defense, Dvoracek thinks Oklahoma will at least be holding serve.

“I think that Year 3 Brent Venables, you look at their recruiting rankings,” Dvoracek said. “I think they’re in a good spot. I think the longer he’s here, the better they’re going to get. I love the way he’s built the defense. I think the defense has a chance to be much improved. All three levels you’ve got legit dudes. I’m excited about the wide receiver core. I’m excited about the young, talented quarterback.”