Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire is now calling it “spit-gate 2023.”
After his tight end Jayden York was ejected last Saturday for spitting in BYU defensive end Tyler Batty’s face, McGuire now says he doesn’t think it actually happened.
“So two things,” McGuire said Wednesday. “Jayden York said he did not do it. I’ve seen every video, TV copy. I would ask y’all to go back and review the TV copy and see.”
“I think if I spit in your face, there would be a reaction,” he continued. “The reaction is you either wipe it off or you hit me in the mouth. So go back and watch the TV copy and see if everybody believes.”
In the television replay, Batty is seen jawing with York following a point-after attempt. After a verbal exchange, Batty immediately goes to the nearest referee and appears to say something. The flag was then thrown and York was ejected for spitting.
It doesn’t appear that Batty wipes anything off his face during those first few seconds.
“Just go watch the TV copy,” McGuire said. “It is nothing against the officials. It is nothing against 92 [Batty’s number]. It is nothing against Jayden York. They slow it down. Go watch the TV copy and see, just as a logical human being, any conclusions that you would draw.”
After the game, Batty also contended another offensive lineman from Texas Tech spit on him.
“[I] just came up and I was like, ‘Hey man, good game,’ and he just [said] bleep, bleep, bleep and [spit],” Batty said imitating a spitting sound and indicating the lineman cursed at him.
McGuire also cast doubt on the second allegation of spitting.
“My guys both say they didn’t do it,” McGuire said.
After McGuire’s comments, a second BYU player said he was also spit on. BYU cornerback Eddie Heckard said York spit on him earlier in the game.
“He spit on me early in the game, it’s on film too!” Heckard wrote.