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Kirby Hocutt stands defiant over Big 12 rule bucking Texas Tech’s tortilla tradition

ByEthan Lee|
Oct 14, 2023; Lubbock, Texas, USA; The Texas Tech Red Raiders student body throw tortillas at the kickoff in the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Kansas State Wildcats at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images
Oct 14, 2023; Lubbock, Texas, USA; The Texas Tech Red Raiders student body throw tortillas at the kickoff in the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Kansas State Wildcats at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

Well, it looks like all but one team in the Big 12 enjoys celebrating traditions and having fun in college football. For some ridiculous reason or another, a grand total of 15 members of the 16-team conference made the decision to put an end to the quirky and beloved (and admittedly a little wasteful) tradition of Texas Tech fans throwing tortillas during the opening kickoff.

To be completely fair to the folks who are seemingly trying to take away beloved traditions and fun in a sport that is supposed to be about beloved traditions and fun, the rule in question has to do with throwing objects onto the field. 

Which, if we’re being fully objective here, the rule itself is about safety and I get it. It stinks. But I get it. Especially in recent years where folks have thrown things like mustard bottles onto the field in other conferences elsewhere. 

All of that safety stuff considered, this new Big 12 rule still will have a greater impact on Texas Tech than it will on anyone else in the conference and it’s because of the Red Raiders’ tradition.

And Kirby Hocutt is more than aware of that.

Texas Tech athletics director sounds off on new Big 12 rule that impacts Red Raiders’ tortilla throwing tradition

With the new rule on its way, here’s what the athletics director for the Red Raiders had to say on the matter:

I respect that. I respect that a lot. Go ahead and plan for tortillas to be thrown folks because tortillas are going to be thrown.

This whole situation reminds me of when the SEC decided to ban Mississippi State from having cowbells at games and Mississippi State fans, for years, still had cowbells at games. They snuck them in. They still rang them. They embraced their beloved and quirky tradition. And eventually, the SEC reversed course on the rule and came up with a compromise. 

I have no clue what’s next for Texas Tech and the Big 12 with this whole situation. Hopefully it’ll all get resolved sooner rather than later and we can just enjoy college football along with all of the quirky and weird and fun traditions that come with it.

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