Washington’s Jimmy Lake Suspended Over Sideline Incident

On Monday night, the University Of Washington football team suspended coach Jimmy Lake for one game without pay after he thrust his right arm toward and then pushed Ruperake Fuavai during a brief skirmish.

The episode took place during Saturday’s 26-16 loss to Oregon. Fuavai seemed to be exchanging words with Oregon’s Jaylon Redd just before the incident. Washington athletic director Jen Cohen said in a statement:

“Our staff has spent the last 24-plus hours reviewing video of the incident, as well as speaking with coach Lake, the involved student-athlete and several other student-athletes and members of the staff, and I have made the decision to suspend Coach Lake for next Saturday’s game against Arizona State.”

Cohen added that she does not believe Lake’s actions were intentional, but “we can have no tolerance for a coach interacting with a student in the manner coach Lake did.”

“I separated him. I did not strike him. I separated him,” Lake said.

Lake said after Saturday’s game that he did not hit Fuavai and was trying to get him away from Redd before it could become a penalty. He is suspended from all team activities for the week. The sideline incident and suspension come days after Lake was scrutinized for comments made about the recruiting against Oregon.

In response to a question about whether the two rivals compete for the same prospects, Lake dismissed Oregon’s academic credentials and said the Huskies “battle more academically prowess teams.”

Lake posted an apology to Fuavai, his team and the school’s administration on social media late Monday afternoon: “I fully accept the decision that was made. Our team has a right to expect better than what I displayed on Saturday, and I’m committed to doing just that — being better so our program will reflect all that’s good about being a Washington Husky,” Lake said.