LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — No. 9 Texas Tech finally got penalized for fans throwing tortillas onto the field during kickoffs, and it happened twice in a 42-17 victory over Kansas on Saturday night.
The longstanding tradition came under scrutiny in the offseason when Big 12 athletic directors voted 15-1 to approve a policy to discipline home teams for fans throwing items on the field.
Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt was the lone dissenting vote, and was a bit
defiant in defending the tortilla tradition. But coach Joey McGuire has started pleading with fans not to throw tortillas beyond the opening kickoff.
Officials are instructed to issue a warning before penalizing teams for unsportsmanlike conduct. That's what happened against the Jayhawks before the two penalties, and McGuire was much more stern with his messaging.
The first penalty forced the Red Raiders to start a drive inside their 15, and the second gave Kansas possession at its 40.
“Is that a Red Raider?” McGuire said after the game. “You came to the game and you love this team and you’re passionate about this team, but yet you’re going to throw another tortilla and you know it’s against the rules?”
McGuire and Kansas coach Lance Leipold had a somewhat heated exchange after the game. Most of the tortillas fly onto the field from the student section behind the visiting bench.
“I’m frustrated. I know he was frustrated,” McGuire said. “We’ve got a new rule in this league and we know the rule and we didn’t follow it.”
The first penalty came not long after Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton got hurt, and during a stretch when Kansas scored 17 consecutive points to cut its deficit to 21-17 at halftime.
The second penalty came after what amounted to a clinching touchdown on a 55-yard run in the fourth quarter by Cameron Dickey, who had a 71-yard score on Texas Tech's first offensive play and finished with 263 yards rushing.
The Red Raiders had yet to be assessed a penalty when McGuire made his plea to fans during the week before facing Kansas. It was Texas Tech's first home game in almost a month.
Just days after trying to prevent the penalties, McGuire found himself in several discussions with officials over them. Texas Tech visits No. 21 Arizona State next week before hosting Oklahoma State on Oct. 25.
“We’ve got two weeks to have a better plan and get the point across of you know what the rule is,” McGuire said. “Because it’s gonna catch up with us. The first one nearly did because the game was a little bit tighter than what you wanted. But it’s gonna catch up with us.”
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