Who wears short-shorts? Tate Sandell wears short-shorts! The Oklahoma Sooners' star kicker is at the forefront of a rule the NCAA claims it would love to finally enforce. With his shorts well above the kneecap, the way Sandell wears his uniform has been at the ire of some of Oklahoma's biggest detractors. The NCAA may claim safety, but when is a specialist going to be making any real tackles?
Chris Vannini of The Athletic reported the NCAA rules committee may now enforce the short-shorts.
Per sources, the NCAA rules committee will consider getting rid of the targeting carryover suspension this week.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) February 22, 2026
They also want to start penalizing the short-shorts (which are already against the rules).
Free story: https://t.co/9Zk47e303Z pic.twitter.com/rvtFKE1akm
We live in a day and age where players do not wear athletic cups, let alone mouthpieces. It is all about playing as freely and as fast as possible. Yes, the NCAA may be trying to get out ahead of a lawsuit here with guys like Sandell's pants being well above the kneecap, but that should be the least of their worries. Instead of getting any control over NIL, tampering, and whatnot, this is where it puts it focus...
Brent Venables will have another playoff-caliber team, but why do we need this ridiculous distraction?
NCAA may enforce short-shorts penalty, much to Tate Sandell's chagrin
This is the epitome of small potatoes. When we think about Oklahoma's return to prominence under Venables, we think about the relentless pass rush he has created over the years. After that, it is about the allure of John Mateer at quarterback. If we are looking for a third topic of note to look at this team from a national perspective, it has to be Sandell's powerful leg and preference for six-inch in-seams.
Let's be honest with ourselves. How many players are we seeing wearing more than just the bare minimum for thigh-pad coverage? The game is faster than ever, so why slow it down? Maybe it is about player safety? In reality, it is the NCAA trying its best to get a rare win these days. This is low-hanging fruit to them. We are talking about specialist here, not a star linebacker or a running back...
To tie a bow on this, Sandell was one of the most notable players off last year's Oklahoma team. He will be back for another season after deciding against entering the 2026 NFL Draft. In a world where players are looking for sixth, seventh, and eighth years of eligibility, let's not punish a 22-year-old kicker. It is all about looking good, feeling good, and then playing good between those hash marks.
Right now, Oklahoma needs to spend all of its injury on making sure it will be back in the playoff again.