During the football game against Marshall on Nov. 2, an incident between a player and coach drew national attention. ULM offensive line coach Cameron Blankenship shoved ULM redshirt sophomore Drew Hutchinson.

Early in the third quarter, Hutchinson entered the field at the wrong time. Blankenship screamed and threw his headphones on the ground. The situation escalated when Blankenship followed Hutchinson and pushed him towards the sideline. The controversy spread quickly on popular social media outlets, such as the Bleacher Report.

ULM Athletics issued a statement on the dispute, calling Blankenship’s action unacceptable. The department assured fans that they would handle the matter internally with appropriate disciplinary measures. 

After the game, Blankenship apologized on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“I want to sincerely apologize for my actions during yesterday’s game. I recognize that my physical contact with a player was inappropriate, and I take full responsibility for it,” Blankenship said. “I value the trust of our players and there are no excuses for my actions.”

ULM head coach Bryant Vincent also released a statement on X.

“Yesterday’s incident involving physical contact between an assistant coach and a player on the sideline is not acceptable,” Vincent said. “We are addressing this matter internally and will ensure it is handled with the seriousness it deserves.” 

Hutchinson responded to Blankenship’s apology. 

“Coach Cam and I have a good relationship,” Hutchinson said. “We have talked since [the incident] and he sincerely apologized for his behavior. Coaches are human too, and just as players learn from mistakes, I think coaches can learn from theirs as well.”

ULM has not disclosed any further updates about the disciplinary actions taken or the outcomes of its internal review.