Pathers head coach Matt Rhule was not happy with his team on Saturday.
Rhule apparently stopped practice to yell at his players for excessively celebrating a 50-year-old TD between Baker Mafield and Rashard Higgins.
Baker Mayfield hit Rashard Higgins on a deep post TD. Offense was geeked. Higgins rolled out the red carpet. But he was flagged for taugnting. Matt Rhule stopped practice, yelled at everyone and made offense run
— Ellis L. Williams (@BookofEllis) August 6, 2022
Celebration gate update: Higgins also extended the ball as he walked into the end zone. Matt Rhule did not like that. https://t.co/wnNaeCzssg
— Ellis L. Williams (@BookofEllis) August 6, 2022
Rhule went on to speak to the media about what annoyed him so much during today’s practice session.
“We’re not a team that reaches the ball across the goal line,” he said. “I told the guys, ‘Hey, after you score a touchdown, celebrate. Have fun today.’ This isn’t a true game, but we’re playing it like a game in between the white lines and so. Great play by Higgy. He made a great touchdown catch. But I just wanted to make sure they all understood we won’t win if we don’t protect the football.
“Sometimes as a coach too, you just gotta make sure the intensity stays throughout the whole practice,” he added with a smirk. “But I wanted the defense to understand we can’t give up explosives and the offense to understand we don’t celebrate until after the play is over.”
Panthers coach Matt Rhule explains why he gathered the team & made the offense run after Rashard Higgins’ touchdown pic.twitter.com/YTDorPCA8V
— Ellis L. Williams (@BookofEllis) August 6, 2022
