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Deion Sanders calls out Oklahoma, kicker Tate Sandell over the length of his pants: 'How do we allow that?'

by: Alex Byington7 hours ago_AlexByington
OU kicker Tate Sandell
Nov 1, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Oklahoma Sooners kicker Tate Sandell (29) kicks a field goal against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Oklahoma kicker Tate Sandell was a perfect four-for-four on field goals, including three for 50-plus yards, and accounted for nearly half of the Sooners’ points in last Saturday’s 33-27 road win at Tennessee. But during the game, the only thing viewers — including ABC color analyst Kirk Herbstreit — wanted to talk about was his fashion choices.

Sandell, an offseason transfer from UTSA, wore Sooners football pants that ended mid-thigh, effectively turning them into what Herbstreit referred to as “Daisy Dukes” or short shorts. During Sandell’s second field goal attempt, from 51 yards out with 1:08 remaining in the first half, Herbstreit appeared to suggest game officials should penalize the Oklahoma kicker for his thigh-high hip huggers.

“That should be a penalty, just dressing like that should be a penalty,” Herbstreit said.

Joke or not, clearly not everyone thought it was a laughing matter. Colorado head coach Deion Sanders even questioned how the Oklahoma coaching staff would permit Sandell to wear his pants like that, even if it’s well within current NCAA standards. NCAA rules do dictate knee pads must be worn under a player’s pants and both should cover the knees, but there’s nothing in the NCAA rulebook against short shorts.

Deion Sanders calls out Oklahoma staff for Tate Sandell’s short shorts: ‘I don’t understand how us coaches allow it’

“These kids now, you’ve got kids trying to go out there in dern biker shorts,” Sanders said during Wdnesday’s Colorado Football Coaches Show. “I’m like, ‘What’s wrong with y’all? Get back in line.’ Our guys don’t do that. We, as coaches, respect the dern game. … I can’t, … but I don’t understand how us coaches allow it. How did we allow that? I have too much respect for the game, I’m sorry, I really do. That’s why it hurts me right now (to see that happen).”

And this is not the first time Sanders addressed his issue with players wearing “biker shorts” as he calls them.

“That makes me sick because I’m a football guy — I played this game at a high level and I have so much respect for this game,” Sanders reportedly said at Big 12 Media Days according to Oklahoman columnist Jenni Carlson. “How can we allow guys out there in biker shorts, no knee pads, no nothing, literally pants up onto their thighs? Let’s have more respect for this tremendous game.”

Whether you agree with his choice in fashion, Sandell’s short shorts have clearly been effective this season. The Sooners’ junior kicker currently leads the SEC with a 94.7-percent accuracy rate, having made 18 of his 19 field goal attempts this season. And as long as Sandell keeps nailing his kicks, don’t expect Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables to take the same tact as his Colorado counterpart.