School disciplining assistant after ‘unacceptable’ contact with player

The Louisiana-Monroe athletics department on Saturday said it will discipline offensive line coach Cameron Blankenship for what it deemed to be ‘unacceptable’ contact with a player.

A video circulating on X (formerly Twitter) showed an irate Blankenship run several yards onto the field in the Warhawks’ Week 10 game vs. Marshall. Blankenship was seen screaming at an off-screen player before throwing his headset.

Moments later, a player wearing No. 64 — identified as redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Drew Hutchinson, per ULM’s official football roster — was seen sprinting off the field, past Blankenship. The assistant coach then ran after Blankenship onto the Warhawks’ sideline, shoving Hutchinson and yelling into his face.

Blankenship also made incidental contact with linebacker Kelbee Holmes, who pushed the coach in his arm as he made his way toward Hutchinson. Two other ULM players — who appeared to be receiver Davon Wells and Earl Barquet Jr. — placed themselves between Blankenship and Hutchinson.

Louisiana-Monroe lost Saturday’s game 28-23 to fall to 5-3 and 3-2 in Sun Belt play.

ULM statement on sideline incident

Here is the statement issued by Louisiana-Monroe on the sideline incident between Blankenship and Hutchinson:

ULM returns to action in Week 11 vs. Texas State.

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