SEC's John McDaid clarifies unsportsmanlike conduct penalties: Coordinator of officials clarity includes Horns down signal, Gator chomp, & Land Shark

It’s still a whole season before Texas finally starts to compete in the SEC. But the Longhorns are already coming up in and around conversations in the conference. At the ongoing Media Days, the SEC coordinator of officials, John McDaid threw some light on what could constitute unsportsmanlike conduct starting from 2024.

During that discussion, McDaid made a reference to the “Horns Down” gesture, traditionally used by opponents when taking a swipe at Texas and asked:

“Is the Horns Down gesture taunting an opponent? Is it making a travesty of the game? Is it otherwise compromising our ability to manage the game?”

These are the contexts officials will consider before determining whether to punish the use of this gesture (and other similar ones) or not. This means there will be no one-size-fits-all approach to addressing the occurrence of the gesture.

McDaid further said:

“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 that out, every single occurrence is not an act of unsportsmanlike conduct.”

Other gestures that will be affected by McDaid’s clarification are the Gator Chomp and the Land Shark gestures which are directed at the Florida Gators and the Ole Miss Rebels respectively.

Texas' expected SEC arrival and the place of gestures in college football

Gestures form an important part of college football culture. They are used by players, coaches, and fans who may use it to display the school spirit or taunt the opposing fans. While their use is sometimes with harmless intent, it constitutes taunting many times and attracts penalties.

Some of the most famous hand signs in college football include the Hook ‘em Horns used by Texas players and fans. Others are the U sign used by fans and players of the University of Miami, the O by Oregon, and the Gator Chomp by Florida.

The Horn Down gesture made by Oklahoma fans

The SEC will be the new home of the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns. The move continues to generate reactions even two years after it was announced in July 2021. Several other conferences have become affected in the aftermath of the move, setting off a series of major conference realignments that is still ongoing.