National Coordinator of Officials clarifies rule over 'brandishing a weapon' in celebrations

The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called against Minnesota DB Justin Walley against USC for “simulating brandishing a weapon” was the correct call, according to an analysis from national coordinator of officials Steve Shaw.

In a video shared by the SEC, Shaw talked through several calls from the first half of the season, contextualizing and analyzing what happened. In the case of Walley, the defensive back came up from a pass breakup and pulled up part of his jersey to reveal his waistband, the implication being that one could imagine a handgun tucked into it.

Walley did not appear to make the gesture in the direction of any USC player.

Minnesota upsets No. 11 USC, overcoming the "Simulating Brandishing a Weapon" penalty – which is a "point of emphasis." pic.twitter.com/5Ee0QLcy6L

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The officials quickly assessed the 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for “simulating brandishing a weapon.”

And unlike some other moments — most notoriously that of South Carolina defensive end Dylan Stewart — Walley’s penalty was a more subjective variety.

“Now we know any time that you simulate firing a weapon, that is an automatic unsportsmanlike conduct foul,” Shaw said. “If you brandish a weapon as we see here — and by definition brandishing is ‘presenting a weapon in such a manner to induce fear, intimidate or taunt someone’ — and in our rule, brandishing a weapon is not an automatic unsportsmanlike conduct foul. But, it falls under the unsportsmanlike conduct guidelines that state, ‘For all actions, if there’s any threatening gesture, taunting, acts that provoke ill will or are demeaning to the opponent or to the image of the game, it is a foul.’ This was a correct call.” 

Essentially, it fell to the purview of the official who called the penalty to determine if the simulated brandishing of a weapon — the jersey pull to show off the waistband has become common and not always flagged — was risible to the level of a personal foul.

Evidently they felt that way, and Minnesota got popped for 15 yards.

However, the Gophers managed to hold on for an upset victory despite the penalty on that play.