AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas wide receiver Mike Davis is standing by the reasoning for his controversial cut block against Iowa State, but he apologized Monday for the incident.
Davis drew a public reprimand from the Big 12 Conference on Monday for his late block at the knees of Cyclones safety Deon Broomfield but was not suspended. The senior receiver said the play was a misunderstanding and that he thought the issue was overblown.
"It was crazy. I think people blew it out of proportion and took it too far," Davis said. "It really wasn't that bad. It just looked bad."
On Tuesday, however, Davis was singing a different tune, offering a "full apology" to Broomfield and Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby.
"I would like to issue a full apology for not only the play ... but everything that has surrounded this issue. My comments yesterday were not intended to indicate that I would ever do anything illegal or malicious, and I would never have any intent of hurting anyone or doing anything else outside of the rules," Davis said in a statement Tuesday. "I would like to provide a full retraction of anything I said that wasn't apologetic for the play last Thursday, and that I completely understand and accept the reprimand issued by the Big 12.
"... Most of all, I would like to apologize to Deon. He's a great player, and I would like to make sure he knows that my intent was never to hurt him, and that I am not that kind of a player. Again, I am sorry for what happened on the field and everything that has happened around that. Also, I would like to apologize to Commissioner Bowlsby and the Big 12.''
In the third quarter of Texas' 31-30 victory Thursday, Davis made a late chop block at the left knee of Broomfield, who wasn't looking because Texas running back Joe Bergeron had run for a 6-yard touchdown.
Broomfield was not injured on the play but later posted on his Twitter account that Davis "really tried to take me out." Davis was assessed a 15-yard penalty for the play.
According to both Davis and Texas coach Mack Brown, the play the Longhorns had called was a run/pass option, with the pass being a flair screen to Jaxon Shipley.
Texas ran the same play last season against Iowa State for an 8-yard gain by Shipley, and Davis was not penalized for a cut block.
"The play was a run/pass play, and I was just being protective of my teammate that was going for a screen," Davis said.
The issue this time, though, was that Davis' block came after the whistle had been blown. He said he hadn't heard the whistle over the loud crowd and thought the play was still live. He said he was just doing what he'd been taught to do, and Brown believes that.
Brown, who had defended Davis after the game because he thought the receiver had simply been "competing," said he made those comments before seeing more replays and because he knew the play called for the block.
"I asked Mike after the play, because I didn't see him outside -- I was watching Joe inside on the touchdown -- and he said, 'Coach, I knew I was supposed to block but I couldn't hear the whistle. So I did.' To me, where Mike is wrong, and I'm in agreement with the Big 12, is that he blocked a guy after the whistle had already blown. That's where he's wrong."
Although many made the accusation Thursday night, Brown did not think Davis intended to take a cheap shot at Broomfield.
"Mike is not malicious," Brown said. "He's glad that the young guy is not hurt. He's not ever been accused of anything like that before. So it sure wasn't done on purpose, but I can see why they reprimanded him."
Davis did defend the actual block he made and said he won't shy away from making more cut blocks if he's asked to do so on plays going forward.
"If we have another run/pass situation like that, I'll do the same thing," he said. "I mean, if the DB's loafing, he deserves to get cut."
Davis later clarified that he meant he intends to legally block defenders when a play calls for it.
In his public reprimand, Bowlsby said the block violated the conference's sportsmanship and ethical conduct policy.
"Given the heightened emphasis on player safety, unnecessary and illegal acts such as this have no place in the game and are unacceptable," Bowlsby said in a statement. "Mr. Davis is also put on notice that any future such behavior may result in a more serious penalty, including possible suspension."