Texas A&M Football Assistant Fired After He Was Caught Doing This on the Sidelines (Updated)

Texas A&M University football student assistant Michael Richardson was sent packing early Monday after he was caught hitting at least one West Virginia student during the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee.

Image source: KBTX-TV

Video captured Richardson appearing to elbow one West Virginia player then hitting another on the back of the head. It happened as unsuccessful plays on the field resulted in the players ending up on the sidelines, where Richardson stood.

Richardson, a 2012 graduate and former linebacker for Texas A&M, was forced to end his college football career in November 2012 because of a neck injury he suffered while playing Sam Houston University. He has served as a student assistant coach since his injury.

A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin was later told of what happened and sent Richardson to the locker room for the remainder of the game, A&M athletic department spokesman Brad Marquardt told the Associated Press.

Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin yells at an official after safety Howard Matthews was ejected in the first half of the Liberty Bowl NCAA college football game against West Virginia, Monday, Dec. 29, 2014, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

"I was made aware of the situation at halftime, he did not return to the field and he has already been sent home." Sumlin said, according to ESPN. "That's nothing we condone, there's nothing about that whole situation that's a part of who we are and what we believe in. As I said, he has already been sent home and we'll deal with that when we get back."

UPDATE 5:05 p.m. ET: Texas A&M Head Coach Kevin Sumlin fired football student assistant Michael Richardson Tuesday. Sumlin issued an apology that stated in part: "On behalf of the Texas A&M football program, I want to apologize to Daryl Worley and to Andrew Buie as well as to Coach Holgorsen and the West Virginia family for the inexcusable actions of the student assistant. I removed him from the sideline at halftime of yesterday's game after being informed of the incidents and, after further review, have permanently dismissed him from our football program."

(H/T: Deadspin)

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