Eastern Michigan apologizes for punch that sparked brawl following bowl loss to South Alabama.
Eastern Michigan’s athletic director apologized to the South Alabama football team and supporters on Sunday, a day after an EMU player stormed onto the field after the 68 Ventures Bowl and assaulted an opposition player in the head.
That EMU player later apologized for unleashing that first punch.
The punch caused an on-field brawl while South Alabama players sang the university’s alma mater, which was being played by the USA marching band. South Alabama had recently defeated EMU, 59-10, at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the USA campus in Mobile.
TikTok user “south_alabamian” submitted a video of the incident shortly after the game with the comment “No class…”, and the video gained over four million views and attention over the weekend.
According to the footage, an EMU player charged into a throng of Jaguars teammates and hit a South Alabama player in the back of the head. It then shows another South Alabama player dragging an EMU player onto the field, resulting in a free-for-all between members of both teams, with smaller confrontations breaking out on the field.
Korey Hernandez of Eastern Michigan apologized on social media Sunday night for hitting South Alabama defensive back Jamarrien Burt while his back was turned following the Jaguars’ victory.
“I must first apologize for the embarrassment that I have caused for my family, my team, the Eastern Michigan University community, and the Mid-American Conference by my actions last night,” Hernandez posted on X, also known as Twitter. “I have also had the opportunity to personally apologize to Jamarrien Burt and Coach Wommack of South Alabama, and both have accepted my apology.”
Scott Wetherbee, vice president and director of sports at Eastern Michigan, denounced the actions of some of the EMU football team’s student athletes after the game in what he called a “ugly incident.”
