Did Big 12 ADs target Texas Tech football’s tortilla toss tradition?

Texas Tech director of athletics Kirby Hocutt on the Big 12’s vote to crack down on tortilla tossing

Texas Tech director of athletics Kirby Hocutt on the Big 12’s vote to crack down on tortilla tossing

Neither head coach Joey McGuire nor director of athletics Kirby Hocutt was thrilled about the Big 12 Conference’s other athletic directors essentially shutting down a longstanding Texas Tech football tradition.

Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reported Thursday that Big 12 ADs voted 15-1 (Hocutt confirmed he was the lone nay vote) “to solidify an existing game management policy related to the throwing of items onto the playing surface.”

Shortly after McGuire and the football team’s coordinators finished their scheduled media availability, Hocutt spoke to the media to offer some clarity on how the situation came to pass.

Hocutt said he was in Dallas on Wednesday (Aug. 13) for a regular meeting among Big 12 athletic directors. The rule was listed under an agenda surrounding sportsmanship and fan behavior heading into the 2025-26 academic year. Hocutt’s fellow ADs wanted to clarify steps to be taken when objects are thrown onto the field.

Dellenger’s report said the solidifying of the rule amounts to a three-strike policy. Fans can continue to throw tortillas on the opening kickoff and one other time throughout a game, which would both result in warnings. A third infraction could result in a 15-yard penalty being issued.

“I think our fans are gonna do a phenomenal job,” McGuire said, “and I think we’re gonna be in some really great games and they’re gonna understand the need for us to not take a 15-yarder or anything like that.”

McGuire noted instances in last year’s Texas-Georgia contest and Tech’s home game against Colorado where objects other than tortillas found their way onto the field. While Hocutt said the rule discussed…


Source link : https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/sports/college/red-raiders/2025/08/14/texas-tech-football-tortilla-toss-throw-ban-rule-big-12-kirby-hocutt-joey-mcguire/85666164007/

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Publish date : 2025-08-14 21:39:00

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