Do SEC fans know that "Horns Down" was grounds for a taunting penalty in the Big 12?
"Horns Down" has become an infamous and popular trolling gesture surrounding the Texas Longhorns and their athletic teams. It has been most prominent in college football but has trickled down to other sports as well.
So what does SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, always straight to the point, have to say about it?
Greg Sankey when asked if horns down will be a penalty in the SEC: “I won’t be answering questions about football penalties on July 1st.”
— Summer of George (@GeorgeStoia) July 1, 2024
It became the de facto taunt to make, so the Big 12 cracked down on players doing the gesture and made it enforceable in 2021, resulting in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty.
At the time, the Big 12’s coordinator of officials Greg Burks said, "If you do a Horns Down to a Texas player as an opponent, that's probably going to be a foul.” He clarified, “Please note, I said 'probably.’ We have to consider intent and consider the situation. We'll leave it to officials."
There has been a lot of outcry from opposing fans as to why Texas fans hate the taunt so much. It got to the point where the Big 12 felt like they had to step in. The officials of the conference say it is more likely than not a penalty there is not much else to complain about because the answer has already been laid out.
Since there is precedent for a conference saying it is a penalty, then the SEC will most likely label the move as a penalty as well. The SEC brings a whole new level of intensity that was not in the Big 12, so look for the move to carry over even if it is penalized. As annoying as other SEC fans might find it, look for any opposing player who uses the move to be punished for taunting due to the precedent being set.
Texas is being joined by the Oklahoma Sooners in the SEC this season and it'll be interesting to see if their former Big 12 brethren use a lot of "Horns Down" taunts when these two teams meet for the classic Red River Rivalry in Dallas on Oct.12.
The Longhorns start their season against Colorado State in Austin on Aug. 31, then face Michigan on Sept. 7 in an immediate marquee matchup in Week 2. Their first SEC opponent will be the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Sept. 28.
Sankey at the SEC probably never realized this would become such a headache.
Imagine if it becomes a penalty in the SEC as well. "Horns Down" will become a hornet's nest.
