A University of Northern Colorado assistant has been “reprimanded” after an event on the sideline reportedly injured an opposing fan.
Offensive coordinator Max McCaffrey broke a clipboard on the sidelines Saturday during the Bears’ game at Montana State and threw it into the stands, hitting a Bobcats fan. MSU attendees said it occurred after McCaffrey was heckled.
A statement from the UNC Athletic Department said it worked with Montana State officials and the Big Sky Conference to review the incident. They described the incident as, “an assistant coach tossing an object into the stands that inadvertently struck a spectator” at the game.
UNC states the investigation included a review of statements and video of the event. The parties determined that McCaffrey was “tossing a piece of a broken clipboard to a fan who requested the souvenir” and that the decision showed a “lack of judgment but no malicious intent.”
“While Coach Max McCaffrey’s tossing of a souvenir into the stands showed poor judgment, it was clear there was no intent to harm nor was the action fueled by anger. Max is embarrassed by the incident and is working privately to apologize to the fan hit by the errant toss,“ UNC Athletic Director Darren Dunn said in the statement. “After visiting with Max and the entire football staff, I am confident we will have no further engagement with fans of our opponents.”
McCaffrey was officially reprimanded, but the statement doesn’t provide any additional details.
Max Demarais, a student from Butte High School in Montana, said McCaffrey broke his clipboard after UNC graduate quarterback and brother Dylan McCaffrey threw an interception in the second quarter.
Demarais taunted McCaffrey about his pants before the clipboard was thrown, hitting a fan in another row.
“I said, ‘Hey coach, maybe you should focus on how small your pants are, rather than breaking a clipboard,” the senior told the Tribune in a text message.
If he had known the comment was going to cause escalation, Demarais said he wouldn’t have said it.
“I was very surprised he tried throwing it at me,” Demarais said. “I was one of the only people standing in my section when I said it. I’m guessing he tried throwing it at me. Everyone around me freaked out, and I was just dumbfounded.”
Ian Laird of KGVM Sports in Bozeman didn’t see what caused the incident but saw “something flying into the hands and hitting the guy in the face.” He was about four seats away from the man hit and confirmed it happened in the second quarter.
Laird said people in the section began pointing at McCaffrey and McCaffrey yelling back. He also said that McCaffrey yelled that he wasn’t throwing it at the man hit. The victim is reportedly in his 60s and received brief medical attention.
Fans on a public message board about Montana State athletics allege the victim only wants an apology about the incident. Several added that police took statements from the victim and witnesses. Laird also said this happened.
The Tribune has not received a copy of the police report, though it has contacted UNC to determine if the statement regarding McCaffrey’s pants was brought up during the investigation.
“I’m not mad at the guy, but what he did wasn’t right,” Demarais said of McCaffrey. “The guy who got hit deserves an apology.”
Northern Colorado fell to Montana State, 40-7, on the road. They will face Eastern Washington at 1 p.m. Saturday in Greeley and UC Davis the week after. At the time of publication, both teams are 5-0 overall and 2-0 in Big Sky play.
Update: This story was updated at 4:50 p.m. Tuesday to include a statement from UNC and information from witnesses.
