Gators band director attacked

Receives minor head laceration after game, fingers pointed at Hurricanes fan

The University of Florida’s band director was attacked and thrown to the ground following Saturday night’s football victory over the University of Miami.

Police don’t know who did it, but others are already pointing fingers that the culprit must have been a Hurricanes fan.

The Gators had won the game 24-20 and its band was in formation, marching out of the stadium to its awaiting buses when band director Jay Watkins put his hand out to stop a female Miami fan from cutting through the formation, UF spokesman Steve Orlando said.

That’s when “somebody else grabbed him from behind, put his arm around his neck and threw him to the pavement,” Orlando said.“We don’t know if it was a Miami fan.”

An Orlando police officer was quickly on the scene to assist Watkins, the spokesmansaid. He received aminor laceration to his head andwas treated by paramedics at the scene, police said. No stitches were needed and he rode back on the bus with the band.

The game was played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

The Miami fan trying to cut through the line wasn’t unusual, Orlando said.

“When they go to out-oftown games, people do try to go through the line,” he said. “They were just trying to cut through. He’s trying to keep the continuity of the line, so he can keep track of his students.”

The incident started getting attention on social media Sunday, and a tale started to grow, with Florida State University’s band director saying Watkins was trying to prevent Miami fans from forcing their way into the band section “with the intention of hurting the Gator Band kids.”

“Students in band uniforms are an easy and all-to-common target for disgruntled fans — especially these idiots who attend Miami games,” FSU band director Patrick Dunnigan posted on Facebook. “I know from personal experience just how dangerous a visiting stadium can be especially any game with Miami.”

“Jay tells me he is very sore today and has a nasty bump on his head, but THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED,” Dunnigan wrote.

But police and university officials say no one else was injured. A female student had a bloody nose, but it was unrelated to the incident, police said.

As for the who-done-it, police said they don’t even have a description for the attacker. And in a spirit of collegiality, UF isn’t ready to blame it on a Miami fan.

“I have suspicions, but I don’t know,” Orlando said.