Colin Simmons was practically unstoppable against Tennessee, piling up five sacks and making life miserable for the Volunteers. Yet, it was what happened after one of those takedowns that got everyone talking.
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Following a sack of QB Faizon Brandon, Simmons’ restroom-themed celebration drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Now, Steve Sarkisian has delivered a warning to his star edge rusher.
“Can’t happen. That’s a bad football play. We had harped on, talked about this, about not getting emotional with the crowd. That was an emotional play,” said head coach Sarkisian after the game.
In the second quarter, after taking down Brandon for a 16-yard loss, the defender mimicked urinating on the field, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that handed the Volunteers a fresh set of downs instead of forcing a punt. Trailing 10-3, Tennessee then advanced beyond midfield but failed to score after an incomplete pass on fourth down.
Although the penalty did little to change the game’s momentum, it was enough to turn the moment into an embarrassing spectacle, leaving even ESPN veteran analyst Kirk Herbstreit stunned.
“Just an absolute idiotic move by Colin Simmons doing that. He’s supposed to be one of the leaders of this defense. And they’ve got them at a 4th and 29, gonna get great field position,” Herbstreit said on the broadcast after the play.
Despite the unsportsmanlike celebration, Colin Simmons delivered a standout performance against the Volunteers. Texas (4-0) dominated defensively in the 20-17 win, recording 10 sacks, with Simmons leading the charge.
The No. 1-ranked Longhorns set the tone early, as the defender recorded five total stops and two sacks in the first half. However, his costly celebration penalty briefly took the spotlight away from an otherwise impressive outing.
In the second half, Simmons recorded three more sacks. Two came on back-to-back plays that forced Tennessee to punt. His last sack also had a forced fumble on the same play. However, after the game, Colin Simmons knew that the focus will also be on his avoidable penalty.
Colin Simmons addressed the public to apologize for his celebration, assuring fans that it would not happen again.
“I apologize for the celebration,” Simmons said. “I was definitely in that mode, feeling myself, but it happens.” Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian also shared his reaction to the incident.
“We took him out, we addressed it and put him back in,” Sarkisian said. “At that point I’m not going to give the guy the death penalty over an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. We have to fix it. That can’t continue as we move forward.”
While Simmons’ celebration sparked controversy, it is worth noting that the young defender may have simply let his emotions get the better of him in the heat of the moment. However, his performance against the Volunteers was nothing short of record-breaking. With seven sacks through four games, he is averaging an impressive 1.75 sacks per game.
For Steve Sarkisian, the penalty was a reminder of an issue that continues to plague his team. On both sides of the ball, Texas conceded penalties that stopped the Week 4 win from turning into a blowout. On offense, the Longhorns had multiple false starts and holding penalties. As a result, Texas couldn’t get any rhythm.
On the other side of the ball, the issues kept the Vols in the game. On Tennessee’s first offensive drive, Texas had two 15-yard penalties. The Vols ultimately got into a field goal range position and scored their first points. Those were the only points Josh Heupel’s scored in the first half.