Texas Tech: Don't fling tortillas or we'll owe dough

After a crackdown by the Big 12, Texas Tech volition flatten its tortilla-tossing tradition.

Red Raiders diversion manager Kirby Hocutt joined caput manager Joey McGuire during Monday quality league to denote that the assemblage is "no longer going to promote nor licence the throwing of tortillas" astatine the opening kickoff of their shot games.

Texas Tech fans person tossed tortillas successful the assemblage astatine Jones AT&T Stadium since the 1990s.

In August, Big 12 ADs voted 15-1 to measure a 15-yard punishment aft 2 warnings for objects being thrown connected the field, with Hocutt the lone dissenter. After the vote, helium tweeted, "the rules tin change. But our contented volition not" and suggested a caller contented of launching tortillas for the opening kickoff.

But aft a raucous country successful Lubbock during the Red Raiders' 42-17 win implicit Kansas connected Oct. 11, successful which Texas Tech was penalized doubly for fans throwing tortillas, the Big 12 amended its caller offseason rule. There would beryllium 1 warning, followed by a 15-yard punishment on with a $100,000 fine.

A league root told ESPN that the alteration was due to the fact that Tech was incapable to get the concern nether control.

So with the No. 14 Red Raiders disconnected to 1 of the champion starts successful schoolhouse past astatine 6-1 -- with a accidental to triumph the Big 12 and marque the College Football Playoff down the agelong -- Hocutt and McGuire person asked fans to bash their part.

McGuire said helium understands the tradition, due to the fact that his ain daughter, arsenic a student, adjacent participated.

"We cognize that arsenic Red Raiders, nary 1 tells america what to do. We marque our ain decisions," Hocutt said. "This concern is connected me. I leaned into throwing tortillas astatine the opening of the shot season. Now I indispensable inquire everyone to stop."

Hocutt said Tech's lawsuit operations unit volition promote and punctual fans astatine the gross not to bring tortillas in, and they volition inquire fans to discard them. If they get them in, they'll again inquire them to walk them to ushers successful the aisles who tin discard them. Then, if immoderate are thrown and fans are caught, their summons privileges for each sports volition beryllium suspended for the remainder of the year.

Hocutt said it was evident during Saturday's loss astatine Arizona State that the Texas Tech marque is stronger than ever. He was asked by a newsman if it's a coincidence that the Big 12 is cracking down connected them now, due to the fact that of the strides they've made successful their program.

"We privation to beryllium the squad that erstwhile we're beat, their fans tempest the tract due to the fact that it means that overmuch to play Texas Tech shot close now. So I tin conscionable accidental #15-1 inactive exists," Hocutt said, referencing that offseason vote. "It's america against the satellite successful this Big 12 league and our extremity is to get to Arlington and to rise that trophy."