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Canwest News Service
CALGARY – There will be an investigation into an on field incident involving University of Calgary Dinos football coach Blake Nill and his son, a rookie receiver on the team.
A television camera covering the Uteck Bowl game against the Saint Mary's Huskies caught a few seconds of Nill dressing down Taylor Nill as he shook him by his jersey on Saturday.
The cameras later showed him patting his son on the back in an apparent gesture of making up and on Monday an official apology was issued by the coach which appeared on the Dinos website.
The issue for the university's athletic director Kevin Boyles is to determine whether there is a broader issue that needs to be dealt with.
"Personally, I feel Blake used some bad judgment and his actions were over the top," said Boyles. "His apology may be as far as it goes but we want to do our own investigation. We will be asking some specific questions (of players and coaches) to be sure this was an isolated incident and there isn't a bigger issue here."
Boyles said the investigation will be part of the regular annual program review done at the end of every season. It won't begin until the players return from the Vanier Cup appearance against the Queen's University Golden Gaels in Quebec City this Saturday.
Both Nill and his son made comments in the statement released Monday.
"I overreacted, and I regret it," Nill said in the release. "It was a very emotional week and it carried through to the game. I let my emotions get the best of me."
The statement said Nill apologized to his son and the rest of the players at a team breakfast on Sunday before they departed for Quebec City.
Taylor Nill, 19, took a share of the responsibility for the incident noting that his own actions following the touchdown went over the line.
"Both of us are really competitive people," said Taylor Nill in the statement. "It was a very intense, personal game for both of us and we both crossed the line."
Calgary Herald
smyers@theherald.canwest.com
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Go Dinos, no kidding: this Coach demands good behavior and good standards from all of his players, and gets the results and respect from them. So the kid showed his youth, and the dad showed his disappointment and humanity: when the team messes up, he tells them what’s expected and they move on. Nill has been told what is expected, HE AGREED and apologized, now let him move on. He has a huge job ahead of him, and he’s HERE because we know no one can do it like he does. Coach Nill, your expectations are appreciated. Your humanity is expected; you’re forgiven, and so is young Nill. Now do your best, lads, we’re looking forward to more of your success!
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