A high school football coach in North Carolina knocked a referee out cold for making what he thought was a bad call during a 7-on-7 tournament. It led to one of the most insane photos you will ever see.
Unfortunately, there is no video yet.
What started out as a modified sport for high school football teams to get reps during the offseason has snowballed into a highly-competitive environment that often becomes theatric. Theatrics can be toxic.
7-on-7 football is no longer just for practice.
For those who do not know, 7-on-7 football is a modified, non-contact version of the real thing. There are seven players per side, obviously, without a full offensive line.
Teams typically line up with a quarterback, a center who cannot go out for a pass, and five other players classified as receivers or running backs on offense. They are matched by seven defenders. Common setups include a pass rusher to pressure the quarterback, two or three cornerbacks to cover the perimeter, one or two linebackers to watch the middle and one or two safeties deep.
The game is designed to teach. It is typically played on a field of 40-50 yards with three downs to score and a “quarterback clock” for passing. There is no blocking or tackling. There are no pads.
7-on-7 football is a way to keep skills sharp during the winter, spring and early summer. However, the modified offseason sport has become something much bigger than ever intended.
What started out as a developmental tool for the offseason is now just as competitive as the real thing, if not even more so.
These tournaments are no longer just for practice. They bear close resemblance to the AAU circuit in basketball. It is just as much about clout and status (and winning) as it is about improvement or game film, which was made clear during a recent incident in North Carolina.
A high school football coach knocked out the referee.
A 7-on-7 football tournament got out of hand in Fayetteville, North Carolina over the weekend. The event took place at John H. Daskal Stadium on the campus of Reid Ross Classic School. It featured many of the top 7-on-7 programs in the region like the County Boyz, Gametime Athletics, and Brotherly Love.
A referee at one point made a call for which a coach and/or parent did not agree. Although the officiating decision did not lead directly to a win or a loss, it played a role in a close game that resulted in defeat.
The losing coach and/or parent (for a team that I have not yet been able to identify) went up to the referee after the game ended. He allegedly promised to knock him out for the bad call and… well… he did!
The photo went extremely viral.
Edgar Davila is a senior at Clinton High School with “passion for capturing the excitement and intensity of sports through photography.” His impressive portfolio of work speaks for itself. He can really shoot!
The photo he captured in Fayetteville over the weekend is an all-timer. It depicts the angry 7-on-7 football coach and/or parent with his hands in the air, ready to fight one of two referees. The second official is knocked out cold on the ground next to them. Out like a light.
Davila’s incredible viral photo is featured as the last image in the Instagram carousel below:
Davila wants to be clear that he does not promote violence. He was just doing what he went to do and that was to cover what happened at the 7-on-7 football tournament.
According to one eyewitness, the coach “hit the referee when he wasn’t looking basically.” Another eyewitness claims “the ref took the flag then threw it at the coach” before the coach threw a punch. (I have yet to hear the full story in chronological order.)
Fortunately, the referee was okay. He eventually got back to his feet after approximately 20 minutes. An EMS crew that had been called to the scene gave him medical attention.
Unfortunately, this is where we are as a society. Officials are getting knocked out because of a bad call during a 7-on-7 football game! That’s crazy.