SEC Coordinator of Officials John McDaid addresses Horns Down, if it will be a penalty in 2024

SEC Coordinator of Officials John McDaid joined the SEC Network set Tuesday morning before Day 2 of SEC Media Days and the crew had one burning question for him: How will league officials handle ‘Horns Down’ this Fall?

Of course, the Horns Up hand gesture is Texas‘ patented hand signal. But the inverse has been commandeered by opposing players and fans, who issue a horns-down gesture to mock the Longhorns.

The Big 12 made a rule where officials would flag players who flashed the Horns Down during Texas games, however, John McDaid says the SEC is going to be a bit more lenient.

“We’re going to evaluate it in context,” McDaid answered. “Is it taunting an opponent? Is it making a travesty of the game? A travesty of the game is something that offends us, right? Kick it out of the football stadium, go put in a shopping mall or out in a parking lot somewhere. Well, does it offend someone? Then it’s probably making a travesty of the game.”

But in many cases, players will be more than welcome to enjoy throwing down the horns, says McDaid.

“If a player is just doing it to celebrate with his teammates, maybe going back up the sideline after a touchdown or interception, I don’t necessarily have that as a travesty. I don’t have that directed at his opponent,” McDaid said. “So it’s contextual.”

Peter Burns of the SEC Network stepped in to point out that even with a call like this, officials won’t be in a hurry to make themselves the villain: “I would imagine, as an official, you don’t want to affect a game.”

“Absolutely, you’re spot on with that. I say this a lot, we hear all the time ‘We don’t want officials factoring into the game, let the two teams decide it,'” McDaid responded. “Guess what? You put a flag down for unsportsmanlike conduct, you’re moving someone 15 yards, and if it’s the defense, you’re giving the offense an automatic first down. That’s inserting yourself into the game.”

Lastly, John McDaid went on to note that the SEC has successfully regulated other anti-team gestures, such as the obvious example: the Gator Chomp.

“And we already have some of this in our conference,” explained McDaid. “We have opponents maybe down in Gainesville and they’re winning and they’re using the Gator Chomp in … not a positive manner, right. You know, as long as it hasn’t been directed at an opponent for taunting, we haven’t had a problem with it.”