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The Oklahoma football program sees several of its players receiving punishment from the Big 12 Conference. On Wednesday, November 28, it was announced that players will be penalized for using the “Horns Down” hand gesture.
With the Big 12 Championship looming, it apperas that the “Horns Down” sign will be seen as a penalty on the field for taunting.
“With the Big 12 Championship on the line, a new mandate has come down for the Sooners: The ‘horns down’ hand symbol will draw a flag. University of Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley had asked the Big 12 for clarification after West Virginia was flagged twice in a game earlier this month. He heard back and said that they cannot do it,” via KOCO.
There have recently been on-field altercations in college football as tensions build, so it is understandable that the conference would be looking to avoid such a situation.
Then again, the “Horns Down” sign has been used by Longhorns opponents so often in the past and trolling is such a part of modern-day culture — especially in the sports world — that the players should be able to handle a simple hand sign.
But in the end, it is best for the conference that is looking to send a member to the College Football Playoff to avoid having a negative incident at the end of a game.
