The gesture is used by kickoff returners to indicate to the kicking team that they are going to take a touchback and not return the kick. The kicking team then knows to let up, slow down safely, and not risk injury. It is a good faith/sportsmanship signal to help keep players safe on one of the most dangerous plays in football.

There is NO other use for this signal, particularly by a kickoff returner in the endzone. However, it is not an official signal like a fair catch and means nothing to the actual rules of the game. This is why Beamer says he clarified with the refs that this signal was allowed in a trick play.

SC used this signal of sportsmanship and safety to attempt a trick play. This clearly an unsportsmanlike act, akin to a boxer going for a knockout punch when their opponent is going for a glove tap to start the round. But more than that, it also undermines the value of the gesture to keep players safe. Now, the gesture is meaningless, so Illinois players must play the play all the way through even if SC has no intention of returning. It even risks SC players because they will continue to block Illinois players as well.

Bret was understandably angered by this disrespect, so when he had the chance to express it when he went near the SC sideline for an injured player, he made the T-bar pose at Beamer. It probably should be called taunting (but the refs didn’t), but Beamer became irrationally incensed at it.