Texas High School Football Coach Denies Telling Players To Hit Referee

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ROUND ROCK (AP) - A Texas high school assistant football coach has denied ordering two players to hit a referee and says he only resigned under threat of being fired.

Mack Breed told the state's governing body for high school sports that he did say on the sideline that umpire Robert Watts "needs to pay" but was surprised when the players hit Watts. Video of the Sept. 4 incident created a national stir.

Breed had not spoken publicly until Thursday, but says he now wants to clear his name.

The University Interscholastic League suspended Breed for the rest of the school year but could have suspended him for up to three years.

The UIL also suspended the two players, a senior and a sophomore, from sports for the rest of the academic year.

The Texas Association of Sports Officials is completing its investigation into the allegations of racial slurs made by the official, and the committee referred the results of this investigation to the UIL Sports Officials Committee. Robert Watts, the official targeted during the game, testified before the committee and denied using any racial slurs.

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