Horns Down will not be an automatic penalty in the SEC this season

Life in the SEC is going to be a little different for Texas. In the Big 12, the Horns Down gesture was considered unsportsmanlike conduct, resulting in a 15-yard penalty. In the SEC? Unless it’s way over the top, officials will look the other way.

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, via Brent McMurphy. “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.”

McDaid compared Horns Down to opposing players doing the Gator Chomp or Land Shark after big plays vs. Florida or Ole Miss. Or, as we see each November, Kentucky players throwing Ls Down 4,000 times in the Governor’s Cup.

I have a feeling every SEC school on Texas’ schedule will make the Longhorns feel welcome with Horns Down in the stands, on the field, and on the court this season. As with Ls Down, Mark Pope better get used to it.

Day 2 of SEC Media Days

Horns Down being fair game is a fun kickoff to Day 2 of SEC Media Days. Here is today’s schedule (all times EST). You can watch it all on SEC Network, or let Nick and Adam give you the highlights on another 11 Personnel this evening. They’re also giving live play-by-play of the on-stage remarks and behind-the-scenes antics on KSBoard.

• 9:30 AM: Coordinator of Officials John McDaid
• 10:05 AM: Georgia coach Kirby Smart
• 12:35 PM: Tennessee coach Josh Heupel
• 1:50 PM: Oklahoma coach Brent Venables
• 3:20 PM: Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz

KSR’s coverage at media days is presented by the team at Friends of Coal. Friends of Coal is dedicated to informing and educating Kentucky citizens about the coal industry and its vital role in the state’s future. They provide a united voice for an industry that has been and remains a critical economic contributor to Kentucky. By working together, they can provide good jobs and benefits for future generations. Coal is RESILIENT, RELIABLE, and AFFORDABLE.

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