In a significant policy change, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) has announced that the "Horns Down" taunt will no longer result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for teams within the conference. The taunt, previously banned by the Big 12 Conference, is commonly used to mock players from the University of Texas.
The SEC coordinator of officials, John McDaid, has made it official: the "Horns Down" taunt will no longer be penalized within the conference. This decision marks a significant change from the Big 12 Conference, where the taunt was considered an unsportsmanlike act.
McDaid explained the rationale behind the decision, emphasizing that the "act itself needs to be offending to the senses." He elaborated, "If you took that act out of a football stadium and did it in a shopping mall or a grocery store, would it offend the senses to a majority of the reasonable people in the area? That signal would not."
SEC Lifts Ban on "Horns Down" Taunt
McDaid acknowledged that the taunt may be shared by some in certain settings, but emphasized that the context of a football stadium will be considered in evaluations.
In 2021, the Big 12 Conference had determined that the "Horns Down" taunt would be penalized. Greg Burks, then the conference's coordinator of officials, stated that "If you do a Horns Down to a Texas player as an opponent, that's probably going to be a foul." He added that intent and the situation would be considered.
SEC Lifts Ban on "Horns Down" Taunt
With both Texas and Oklahoma set to join the SEC, the use of the "Horns Down" taunt was expected to increase. The two teams are scheduled to play each other on October 12, a game that is certain to generate plenty of attention.
Texas' first game as an SEC member will be on August 31 against Colorado State. The team will then face Michigan on September 7 in a marquee matchup. Texas' first SEC game will be against Mississippi State on September 28.
SEC Lifts Ban on "Horns Down" Taunt
The SEC's decision to lift the ban on the "Horns Down" taunt has been met with mixed reactions. Some have welcomed the change, arguing that the taunt is a harmless expression of rivalry. Others have expressed concern that it could lead to increased animosity and unsportsmanlike behavior on the field.
Regardless of the differing opinions, the SEC's decision is a clear indication that the conference is taking a more lenient approach to taunting and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. It remains to be seen how the new policy will affect the behavior of players and coaches during SEC games.
