Bill Snyder benches K-State running back for end zone actions

Charles Jones didn’t join the growing list of college football players to accidentally drop the ball short of the goal line during Kansas State’s 35-0 victory over Missouri State on Saturday, but he came close.

Jones, a senior running back, dropped the ball immediately after scoring the game’s first touchdown on a one-yard run and then struck a celebratory pose, crossing his arms and nodding his head at the applauding crowd.

It should have gone down as one of his best moments of the season. Instead, he sweated out the next few moments as game officials debated whether the play needed to be reviewed. Then he received an earful from K-State coach Bill Snyder for not following the team’s policy of handing the ball to an official after touchdowns.

“You didn’t see Charles back in the ballgame,” Snyder said.

No, you did not. Snyder benched him for flirting with a mistake, despite several strong early runs. Jones turned five carries into 23 yards and a touchdown on K-State’s first series. He also caught a pass for 16 yards. But it didn’t matter. Snyder opted for backups Justin Silmon, Dalvin Warmack and Alex Barnes the rest of the way.

“The last time we met as a team I went back over (touchdown etiquette) and was explicit with the entire team,” Snyder said. “Charles has since issued an apology to his teammates, but that is part of the discipline that goes along with it.

“It’s not that I had to address that with our team, because that has always been our policy. You will find every player in our program has always done that. Why he chose to do that, well, I just don’t really know.”

Jones did not speak with media following the game, which was shortened to a single half due to storms and lightning.

He chose a particularly inopportune time to flirt with a goal-line drop.

K-State’s backfield rotation remains unresolved as the Wildcats conclude nonconference play. Jones figured to be the starter at West Virginia next week. Is that still the case?

Dropping the football right before crossing the goal line, jeopardizing a sure touchdown, has been a stunningly prevalent problem in recent weeks. California’s Vic Enwere and Oklahoma’s Joe Mixon both made the error last week. Clemson and Florida State have also dealt with the issue this season.

K-State fell victim to the problem in 2012 when former defensive back Nigel Malone dropped the ball short of the goal line on an interception return against Texas.

When asked about those drops before the Missouri State game, Snyder explained K-State’s touchdown celebration policy.

“You score, you give the ball to the official and then you go celebrate with your teammates,” Snyder said. “There are consequences if you don’t.”

Snyder showed Jones, and everyone else on K-State’s roster, exactly what those consequences are.

He was in no mood for leniency a week after the Wildcats committed 13 penalties for 131 yards.

“It goes back to the discipline thing,” Snyder said. “Until we clean up all the discipline issues we won’t be the team we are capable of being.”

This story was originally published September 25, 2016 at 11:36 AM with the headline "Bill Snyder benches K-State running back for end zone actions."