Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin criticized a penalty called against his team for high-fiving military cadets, describing the infraction as "un-American." The incident occurred during the Hokies' dominant 73-3 season-opening win over VMI on Saturday.
Running back Marcellous Hawkins Jr. was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after scoring his third touchdown of the game in the third quarter. Instead of immediately returning the ball to an official as required by NCAA rules, Hawkins celebrated with members of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets seated in the front row, high-fiving several of them. This action resulted in a penalty.
NCAA Rule 9-2 prohibits "delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon himself (or themselves)." The rule also mandates that players return the ball to an official promptly after scoring.
Despite the penalty, the game was a significant success for Virginia Tech, which amassed 619 yards of offense while holding VMI to just 83 total yards. The Hokies' Corps of Cadets, established in 1872, is a notable feature of the university, which remains one of the few public institutions with both a cadet corps and a civilian student body.