Former UK Player, Current Ref Takes Out Player

One of the most bizarre things ever on a football field took place during Saturday's LSU-South Carolina game. If you haven't seen it or heard about it I'll do my best to describe what happened.


In the second quarter the Gamecocks had the ball in the red zone looking to score. Quarterback Stephen Garcia scrambles to his right only to collide with umpire Wilbur Hackett Jr. In the video it looks like Hackett Jr. braces for the collision and then right before impact he leans his shoulder into Garcia sending the QB sprawling. I don't know if the umpire meant to knock Garcia down but that's sure what happened and a lot of people are not wondering if the ref intentionally tackled the QB.


Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier and the SEC head of officials say Hackett Jr. was in the right position, did nothing wrong and was only trying to get out of the way. But where the story gets even juicier is Hackett Jr. was a star linebacker for the Kentucky Wildcats in the late 60's. Not only that he's from Louisville and attended Manual High School. Here's what the UK Athletic Association website says about Hackett Jr:

Hackett is a 1999 Hall of Fame inductee at Manual High School in Louisville, KY, where he was a linebacker and running back on defense. He was considered the best all around football player in the city; in 1966 Hackett was All-State, All-Southern, and Parade Magazine All-American. The 5' 9", 185 pound Hackett went on to become a three year starting linebacker at the University of Kentucky (UK). He was the first African American to start in any sport at UK and in 1969 was the first to be named a team captain.