Beebe's View On Cotton Play

Nebraska tight end Ben Cotton said Tony Jerod-Eddie was “just trying to find his way to the football.”

The comment drew laughter from a group of reporters.

Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe felt Cotton was serious.

Beebe, in a telephone conversation with the Journal Star, said he didn’t characterize a Nov. 20 play involving Cotton and Jerod-Eddie of Texas A&M the same way that many people are.

What many Nebraska fans and others across the nation saw was Jerod-Eddie jabbing Ben Cotton between his legs while Cotton, at the bottom of a pile of players, was recovering a fumble.

“Well, if you think it was that, we’ll just have to disagree,” Beebe said. “I don’t think it was in that manner. And didn’t the Nebraska player say he was just trying to get to the ball?”

Yes.

“Yeah,” Beebe said.

When asked why Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman then felt the need to say Jerod-Eddie was “remorseful,” Beebe responded by saying how the Big 12 reviews many plays in football games and will privately handle some matters with athletic directors or coaches, telling them they need to pay attention to particular play or actions by some players.

Beebe wouldn’t confirm or deny if that was the case with Jerod-Eddie, who’s not been punished publicly.