Colin Simmons sacked Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon on third down in the second quarter, which should have ended the drive. Then he celebrated by simulating using the restroom on the field, drew an unsportsmanlike conduct flag, and handed the Vols a new set of downs.
The ESPN broadcast did not sugarcoat it. Kirk Herbstreit called it an “absolute idiotic move.” Chris Fowler followed with “yeah, it’s idiotic, and it doesn’t get much more vulgar, either.”
He Turned a Great Play Into a Bad One
This was Simmons’ second sack of the game. He was wrecking Tennessee’s protection in one of the loudest environments in college football against a quarterback under real duress. That is the version of Simmons that makes him one of the best defensive players in the country.
Then he threw it away for a gesture. Third down, sack, drive over, and instead Tennessee kept the ball because of something that had nothing to do with football.
The Rule Change Made This Worse
College football tightened its unsportsmanlike conduct enforcement this season, which means officials are flagging things they used to let slide. Simmons either did not know or did not care.
The bigger risk is what comes next. A second unsportsmanlike penalty in the same game would have carried an automatic ejection. Texas was one moment of frustration away from losing its best pass rusher in the second half of a top-15 road game.
Texas Survived the Half
The Longhorns still led 10-3 at halftime despite the flag extending Tennessee’s possession. That is the only reason this is a talking point instead of a full crisis. Had the Vols scored on that drive and the game turned, Simmons would be wearing the loss.
Being good enough to overcome your own mistake is not the same as the mistake being acceptable.
There Is Precedent for This Exact Gesture
Ole Miss receiver Elijah Moore did a version of this in the 2019 Egg Bowl, and it cost his team a critical extra point attempt in a game they lost by one. That is one of the most famous self-inflicted penalties in modern college football, and it happened seven years ago in the same conference.
Every player in the SEC has seen that clip. Simmons did it anyway.
What Texas Should Do About It
Steve Sarkisian’s staff has a straightforward coaching problem here, and it is not about effort or ability. Simmons is a dominant player who cost his team yardage and put himself one flag from an ejection in a road game against a ranked opponent.
Emotional players make this mistake, and the good ones only make it once. Texas is No. 1 in the country with a schedule that will produce closer games than this one. There will be a Saturday where 15 yards decides it.
Simmons is too talented to be the reason Texas loses one. On this drive, he was the reason they almost did.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.