NEW YORK — As Adrian Hilburn sped forward — 30 yards into the end zone with just more than a minute remaining in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl — the emotion of the moment took over.

All Kansas State needed was a two-point conversion to tie the game at 36-36. One final comeback in a game where the Wildcats and Syracuse traded offensive scores throughout.

And because of all that, Hilburn got caught up in the moment and flashed a military salute toward the crowd. That simple salute doomed KSU’s comeback chances.

‘I was just saluting,’ Hilburn said. ‘That’s something you do out of respect for your teammates or your fans, you know.’

Hilburn’s salute drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that moved the Wildcats back from the 3-yard line to the 18. It was a controversial call that drew strong reaction from Kansas State.

After the penalty, Carson Coffman’s subsequent pass attempt was incomplete. And Syracuse went on to run out the rest of the clock in the victory formation to close out a 36-34 win in Yankee Stadium.

In a statement to a pool of reporters after the game, referee Todd Geerlings cited Rule 9-2-1d as cause for the penalty, which states that a penalty is called for ‘any delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player attempts to focus attention on himself (or themselves).’

‘It was the salute,’ Geerlings added in the statement, ‘which was the judgment of the calling officials, which were the head linesman and the back judge. Two officials threw the flag, both judged it to be drawing attention to themselves, and that’s what the flag was for.’

But Hilburn didn’t accept the explanation, saying he was ‘devastated.’ He said he saw Syracuse players Delone Carter and Marcus Sales similarly celebrate after their own touchdowns.

‘I saw our opponent throw up diamond signs after they score a touchdown, and I give a salute,’ he said. ‘What’s that? … It hurts. I know we’re kind of on their turf and maybe I shouldn’t have done that, but I still don’t think that was a good call.’

As soon as he gave the salute, Hilburn said he heard the official tell him, ‘Wrong choice, buddy.’

‘And then I see the flag,’ Hilburn said, ‘and I’m like, ‘Oh, really? For that?”

It didn’t take long for the issue to be brought up with Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder after the game, either. After pausing four seconds, Snyder said he couldn’t comment on the call.

Snyder did say that the official gave him an explanation of why the flag was thrown. ‘The young man (Hilburn) did something to call attention to himself,’ Snyder said.

‘I concur with the rule in regards to the intent of the rule. I concur with that.’

SU head coach Doug Marrone was also asked about the call in his postgame press conference. He said he did not see the salute, turning his attention immediately to the two-point conversion after he saw Hilburn score.

‘I didn’t even see it,’ Marrone said. ‘I really didn’t. My mind was going on to the second play, making sure the defense was getting ready for it.’

And Syracuse wide receiver Marcus Sales said it’s difficult to keep emotions in check after a touchdown score. Sales threw up a diamond sign after his first score, a 52-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

‘When you get a touchdown,’ Sales said, ‘it’s difficult for everybody to hold their emotions in.’

Hilburn said he had done similar salute celebrations during his four-year career at Kansas State. Never, he said, had he been penalized for doing so. For Hilburn, it was a devastating end to his career. And it’s one that he thought probably shouldn’t have happened.

‘It hurts,’ he said. ‘I blame myself for it. I shouldn’t have done it. But at the same time, it was emotional for me. We were down. All we had to do was score the (two-point conversion), and I guess my emotions just took over me. That’s what happened.’

bplogiur@syr.edu

–– Development Editor Tony Olivero contributed reporting to this article, aolivero@syr.edu

Published on December 29, 2010 at 12:00 pm