Tag: Horns Down

Texas, Big 12 should embrace passion that comes with ‘Horns Down’

Instead of enforcing penalties when a player flashes “Horns Down” the Big 12 should embrace Texas’ position as the Big 12’s heel.

There’s something to be said for seeking sportsmanship in youth and collegiate athletics. But at this moment in time, as we see even grander bat flips in Major League Baseball and the NFL open up its celebration rules more and more, the Big 12 and Texas needs to embrace ‘Horns Down.’

Despite a sustained lack of success in the Big 12, the Texas Longhorns remain one of the top teams and top brands in the conference and the region. They continue to land big-time recruits and find themselves at the top of annual recruiting rankings. They’re a major draw. It just so happens that they’re the arch enemy of every team in the Big 12.

Oklahoma alumni and former coaches certainly had something to say about the continued emphasis of the Big 12 to protect the sensibilities of the Texas Longhorns and their fans.

Texas moves the needle for every team and every fan base in the Big 12. Sure, their biggest rival is the University of Oklahoma, but every team in the conference “gets up” for Texas. Whether they like it or not, they’re the evil empire, and it’s time for them to embrace it.

Every drama needs an antagonist. Every wrestling promotion needs a heel. Before The Rock became “The People’s Champion,” he was floating around the WWE as a member of “The Nation of Domination” and Vince McMahon’s “Corporation.” He was the heel that helped Stone Cold Steve Autin and Mick Foley “get over” in the late 90s.

That’s what Texas could be for the Big 12. And the Big 12 could definitely use a heel turn from one of its most powerful members.

The Big 12 has a team that is universally disliked by every team in its conference, and with the potential penalties to “Horns Down,” it has taken some of the edge out of those games. As the Big 12, you should be looking for every opportunity to promote passion, energy, and excitement in your games. Be the conference that embraces taunting and watch the rivalries in your league go to the next level.

The Big 12 doesn’t get the same level of respect as the SEC and Ohio State. It’s not even seen on the same level as the ACC. Yes, those other conferences boast recent National Champions. However, they also have a greater depth of rivalries within the conference. Yes, the Big 12 has Bedlam and the Red River Rivalry, but beyond that, many of the rivalries are still in their infancy (Texas-TCU) or too one-sided to be considered rivalries (Kansas State-Kansas).

Texas doesn’t have an in-state rival to promote. Baylor and TCU have taken a bite out of the Longhorns in recent years, but no one in Austin would argue either of those schools are rivals. And this is where the Big 12 and Texas could capitalize.

By embracing their status as public enemy number one in the Big 12, Texas could take on a new identity that could help set the Big 12 apart as a conference that embraces the energy that comes from throwing a “Horns Down” during a game. If the Longhorns and Texas faithful don’t like players from TCU throwing down the Horns, perhaps they shouldn’t let the Horned Frogs beat them so regularly.

Instead of getting upset or worked up when an opponent throws down the Horns, embrace your position as the team everyone in the conference wants to beat more than anything. Embrace the passion and energy that comes from those players and fanbases. What is college football if not the passion and energy that we see on Saturdays? What is college football, if not the many rivalries that have helped make the game as big as it is?

The Big 12 continues to focus on the wrong thing when it takes the edge out of these games by having its officials put an emphasis on “Horns Down.” Instead, it should be embracing the energy and passion that these players and fans come with every time they play the Texas Longhorns.

Texas Football: Four takeaways from Big 12 media day

A lot was said at Big 12 media day. Here are the four biggest takeaways:

Texas had three representatives head to the Big 12 media day in head coach Steve Sarkisian, running back Bijan Robinson, and defensive tackle Keondre Coburn. They each had to field questions about the upcoming season.

There were plenty of questions asked ranging from favorite ice cream flavors to thoughts on the Red River Showdown, and there were also headlines stemming from the Big 12’s decision to penalize players who flash the horns down towards a Texas player.

This marked Sarkisian’s first Big 12 media day, and his first media day as a head coach since his days at USC, which did not end well to say the least. Sarkisian has proven to be savvy when it comes to answering questions, credit to Nick Saban who is quite the question answerer himself.

I will break down a few questions that Sarkisian answered that he might have meant something else by, and of course touch on the ruling of the horns down fiasco.

Baker Mayfield trolls new Big 12 rule

Baker Mayfield continues to represent his college team, this time trolling a new Big 12 ruling.

Baker Mayfield is no stranger to “drama” (used in quotes as most of it was silly things and not actual drama) surrounding him in college. While he has not had anything similar at the NFL level with the Cleveland Browns, he stepped foot back into his college roots this week.

The Big 12 recently came out with a new rule to try to stop players from using the “Horns Down” gesture toward the Texas Longhorns. That gesture has been used to mock Texas’ “Hook ’em Horns” gesture for years.

Recently it has been penalized as taunting but, as discussed on Sooners Wire, it will be a point of emphasis going into the upcoming season.

Teams will be penalized for doing so toward a Texas player but might not be if doing toward the crowd.

Mayfield jumped into the subject matter with a tweet that shares his, trolling, thoughts on the matter:

 

Mayfield is always passionate, especially about his college team. It will be interesting if any Longhorns playing in NFL respond to Mayfield. Texas has struggled recently with only a few starters at the pro level at this point.

Perhaps Mayfield’s AFC North rival DeShon Elliott will take up the cause and respond. Either way, it is not shocking for Mayfield to share his thoughts on the Big 12’s new rule.

Baker Mayfield chimes in on ‘Horns Down’ gesture, social media reacts

Former Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield riled up the fan base on Friday morning after he chimed in on the Horns Down fiasco.

It’s that time of year again where former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield takes a shot at the Texas Longhorns. Continue reading “Baker Mayfield chimes in on ‘Horns Down’ gesture, social media reacts”

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Let’s address the ‘Horns Down’ comments at Big 12 Media Days

The internet was in shambles again on Thursday when ‘Horns Down’ was once again talked about. It’s time for Texas fans to address it.

‘Horns down.’ Without a doubt, a topic brought up every single time at Big 12 Media Days. A tradition becoming so prevalent, Aggies would be proud.

The internet was in shambles again on Thursday afternoon when the gesture was once again talked about.  Big 12 officiating coordinator Greg Burks was asked a question about how teams would be penalized if they flash the gesture.

“If you do a Horns Down to a Texas player as an opponent, that’s going to be a foul.”

Well… yeah. That kind of makes sense. This would be Taunting 101 and is not mutually exclusive to Texas and their hand gesture. Rarely has a player ever been able to get in the face of another player, taunt them, and get away without a 15-yarder.

Burks even went on to say later that flashing ‘Horns Down’ in front of the crowd would “probably” not be a penalty.

Soft is how most people would describe this, thinking it would offend Longhorn fans throughout the country. The idea of doing a simple gesture being a 15-yard penalty makes the University of Texas look like cry babies.

Soft or not, not calling a penalty is inconsistent from examples we have seen in college football throughout the past.

In 2017, Tennessee running back John Kelly got flagged 15 yards for a hardcore ‘Gator Chomp’ in the Swamp against Florida after scoring a touchdown. It was not to any of the players, just the crowd.

Texas A&M was a victim of a gruesome ‘Thumbs Down’ in 2011 against Baylor after a Robert Griffin III touchdown pass to Tevin Reese.

Ole Miss famously lost the 2019 Egg Bowl because Elijah Moore decided to act like a dog using the restroom after scoring a touchdown. One missed extra point later and the Rebels had a new head coach in Lane Kiffin.

There could be plenty more examples throughout college football.

I can speak on behalf of every Texas fan not named Tom Herman and Sam Ehlinger: We don’t care if a team does ‘Horns Down’ or not. Let UT fans throw it up, let everybody else in the country throw it down.

Big 12 officials having to comment on this topic every year is getting ridiculous. Talking about this for a few years now is getting repetitive and everyone is over it.

Let’s just play some football while still having some fun.