The Daily Mississipian, Oct. 27, 2001

Coach Tunney assaults player in mid-game

By JOHN FRIERSON
Staff Writer

Rebels Head Coach Reginald Tunney assaulted an Ole Miss wide receiver during the fourth quarter of Saturday's game against Alabama after calling the player to the sidelines to discuss a play.

Nearby onlookers say Tunney cuffed senior Jamie Washington, causing a bloody nose, and tackled the player to the ground before other players and staff members could separate them. Washington had removed his helmet as he came off the field after Coach Tunney called a time out following an incomplete pass quarterback Tom Davis unloaded in Washington's direction. Davis was under pressure from Alabama's defense and the ball sailed wide out of bounds.

Tunney was removed from the sidelines after the incident, with assistant coach Ron Gallagher stepping in for the remainder of the game. Washington was replaced by junior receiver Wade Thalossis. The Rebels lost after failing to improve on the 29-20 score in the remaining 9 minutes of play.

After the game, Coach Tunney said while he "regretted" using violence, he was unrepentant about his famously abrasive style of coaching.

"Football is tough and these kids need to get tough if they want to succeed," he said. "If they can't put up with a little yelling, how are they going to deal with real pressure?"

Washington, a senior, was placed on reserve status this season after spending much of 2000 attempting to recapture his prowess on the field following an injury in the 2000 Red-Blue Game. As a sophomore, Washington set the Southeastern Conference (SEC) season record for rushing with 1,760 yards.

Tunney admitted this was not his first outburst at Washington, but said Washington needed to be pushed harder.

"He has ...a lot of talent and it's all going nowhere," Tunney said.

Washington could not be reached for comment.

Tunney is reknowned among players and staff for his explosive temper -- a temper that manifests itself at games in red-faced yelling from the sidelines and showering players with expletives and tirades. In 1998 Tunney was suspended for three games after charging across the field and tackling a referee after a questionable call. And in his former post at the University of Wisconsin, Tunney was dismissed following a scuffle with a player on the sidelines during a nationally televised game.

Since Tunney took the reins as head coach in 1997, Ole Miss has seen two SEC championships -- a feat Athletic Director Dave Metherall attributes to the coach's forceful style.

"He's tough, but it builds character -- and usually, [he] knows where to draw the line," said Metherall, contacted by phone at his home Sunday. "There's no reason for reprimanding anyone as far as I know."

Saturday's loss puts Ole Miss at 4-3 for the season, in third place in the SEC conference.