Referee Collides With East Carolina Player, Causing Injury
A bizarre incident during a college football game resulted in an East Carolina player being hospitalized after a collision with a referee.
During a game on Saturday between East Carolina (ECU) and Temple, ECU safety David Coleman Jr. was injured and taken to the hospital after an official slipped and collided with him. The incident occurred as the ECU defense was setting up its formation.
The referee, while moving closer to the play, lost his footing and fell into Coleman's right leg. Coleman had to be helped off the field and was subsequently transported to the hospital. According to reports from ESPN, it is likely that Coleman sustained a fractured fibula.
Prior to this incident, Coleman had recorded six tackles in three appearances this season. The injury adds to a challenging 2026 season for the Pirates, who secured a 17-9 victory over Temple. Head coach Blake Harrell had previously expressed disappointment over recent overtime losses to Alabama-Birmingham and Memphis, stating, "Two weeks that are disappointing. Two weeks that we would love to have back." He added, "But doesn’t mean that I’m not going to get up and get out of bed and keep fighting for this university."