A post-game altercation erupted into violence when an Eastern Michigan player sucker-punched South Alabama’s player, inciting a melee on the field.
The incident followed South Alabama’s crushing victory over Eastern Michigan, with a final score of 59-10, in the 68 Ventures Bowl held at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Ala., this past Saturday night. The comprehensive win marked South Alabama’s first ever bowl triumph, but the jubilant occasion was marred by the subsequent chaos.
As the South Alabama team congregated to celebrate and sing their alma mater facing the marching band, Eastern Michigan’s graduate defensive back, Korey Hernandez, was captured on video rushing towards and striking South Alabama’s defensive back Jamarrien Burt from behind, AL.com reported.
The momentary triumph briefly turned into disarray as Burt’s brother fellow defensive back Brian Dillard, and later several more players from South Alabama, joined the fray.
WATCH:
best angle i’ve seen yet, credit to south_alabamian on tik tok pic.twitter.com/2i6MbOYIeu
— sean (@jagsfbguy) December 24, 2023
Video 2 of 2 pic.twitter.com/EQIGGGIvOP
— Scott W. Hunter (@SWHesq) December 24, 2023
“I didn’t see things when they happened,” Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton told Al.com. “But I definitely saw the intensity of what had just happened. We had a really good, long talk in the locker room afterwards. We want to be first-class all the time, no matter the circumstances, no matter what the scoreboard is, no matter what other factors, people, whatever are involved. And anything short of being first-class is not living up to the standard that we have in Eastern Michigan football.
“I think that our guys care a lot about performing well. I’m sure we were embarrassed by how we played and it probably didn’t take too much to get our guys into a place that we hope that they never get.”
South Alabama coach Kane Wommack vows to investigate the events that transpired after the game.
“This is a very special game, it’s a hard game,” Wommack told the news outlet. “It’s a team game and you do everything you can on a football field to be the best for your teammates. And at times, things get emotional and they get passionate and we ask these guys to play on the line of that emotion and passion in every single way. Those are never things that you want to end a game with.”
“We will certainly take ownership of our part. We will look and find out exactly what happened. I couldn’t tell you exactly what did. I’ll get more information as we go. … We’re going to win, but it’s also how we win. And so we want to make sure that we hold people accountable to the standard that we want to operate, in the way we want to represent the city of Mobile and the University of South Alabama.
“Those will be things that we’ll get to the bottom of, but this is a night to really be proud of the things that we’ve accomplished and the young men that do things the right way. And that’s why we’re here.”
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