Chris Del Conte addresses ’embarrassing’ conduct, celebrations from Texas players vs. Tennessee

Following Texas’ victory over Tennessee in Week 4, Longhorns athletics director Chris Del Conte addressed what he called “embarrassing” conduct and celebrations from players during the matchup. He noted Steve Sarkisian addressed the situation with players and during his Monday press conference. Star pass-rusher Colin Simmons notably received a 15-yard penalty at one point for “simulating using the restroom” after a big play, which extended the Tennessee drive. He later apologized for the play, which received criticism from the ABC broadcast after it happened. $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage Sarkisian said in his Monday press conference that he spoke with Simmons and vowed it would never happen again. Del Conte, who did not specifically name players in his letter, echoed that sentiment in his letter Tuesday and said it has been handled accordingly. “We can all agree it was a heck of a game and an incredible performance on the field, but I also know we had some major issues to address with inappropriate celebrations from our players,” Del Conte said in his “Forty Acres Insider” on Tuesday. “I’m not happy about that, I know none of us are, and it was embarrassing to our proud and widely respected football team, athletics program and university. It certainly raised very warranted concerns that many of you shared with me, drew a lot of attention, and I understand why. “Rest assured, Coach Sark has addressed both situations with the players individually and with the team, and he discussed them after the game and again in Monday’s press conference. As he said, it is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.” After the game, during which he had a program record 5.5 sacks, Simmons apologized for his actions as Texas got a key road victory in SEC play. In his press conference, Sarkisian said it was discussed on the sideline after Simmons left the game at one point, but he wasn’t going to “give him the death penalty” because of the action. Del Conte also issued an apology in his letter Tuesday while acknowledging the players have taken responsibility. He also said the program would learn from the situation going forward as the Longhorns head into the bye week. “The message is clear – the players conduct did not reflect the values of Texas Athletics or our university and cannot happen again,” Del Conte wrote. “I also want to add my apology to our Longhorn community and everyone who expects better from Texas. We should represent this university with class, dignity and respect at all times, and in those moments, we fell short. I do recognize that these are young men who made mistakes, and this is a meaningful learning experience. They have owned their mistakes, and those actions are not reflective of who they are. They are good people who made poor choices – they know it, we know it, and they, along with our entire team, will grow from this. “What matters now is that they do just that and that our entire team understands the responsibility that comes with representing The University of Texas. We are proud of the team and what it accomplished Saturday and thus far this season, and we will continue to hold ourselves to the standard that all of you rightly expect from Texas. Thank you for your passion, your candor and your unwavering support of our Longhorns.”