ULM offensive line coach apologizes for sideline outburst

An ugly incident erupted on the sidelines during ULM's 28-23 loss to Marshall on Saturday, as cameras caught offensive line coach Cameron Blankenship pursuing offensive lineman Drew Hutchinson several yards deep into the sideline area and eventually shoving him before turning away.

ULM released a statement on Saturday saying Blankenship would face internal discipline for the incident, and on Sunday evening Blankenship publicly apologized. 

"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. I value the trust of our players and there are no excuses for my actions," Blankenship wrote in a post to Twitter. "I am committed to learning from this incident. I appreciate the support of our team and am dedicated to creating a positive and respectful environment for everyone moving forward." 

Warhawks head coach Bryant Vincent posted his own statement to social media, in which he took responsibility for the sideline incident.

"As the leader of (ULM) I take full responsibility for our team’s actions on and off the field. Yesterday’s incident involving physical contact between an assistant coach and a player on the sideline is not acceptable. We are addressing this matter internally and will ensure it is handled with the seriousness it deserves. Our priority is creating a safe and supportive environment for all our players," Vincent said.

Blankenship is in his third season as an FBS offensive line coach after playing at UAB from 2012-14 and serving on the Blazers' strength staff from 2016-12. He was UAB's offensive line coach in 2022, New Mexico's in 2023, and is in his first season in the role at ULM.

Finally, Hutchinson released his own statement on Sunday. "Coach Cam and I have a good relationship and I appreciate his passion for this game and for this team. Coaches are humans too and just as players learn from their mistakes I think that coaches can learn from theirs as well," he wrote in an iPhone note posted to Twitter. "...I'd like to leave you all with a quote I heard at church this morning 'vengeance is in the lords (sic) hands and forgiveness is in mine.'"

As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.