The father and brother of Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson released a joint statement Sunday after footage of their post-game fight became public in the aftermath of the Wildcats’ season-opening loss to Iowa State in Dublin, Ireland.
First reported by 247Sports, Mark Johnson was seen in a video outside of the stadium after the game getting into a tussle with his oldest son, Anthony Johnson. Tim Fitzgerald reports no arrests were made stemming from this incident.
“We sincerely apologize for our actions following yesterday’s football game in Ireland. Senseless bickering escalated into an unnecessary fight,” Mark and Anthony Johnson wrote in a joint statement, via On3. “We have resolved our differences and take full responsibility for our actions. We have apologized to our immediate and extended family, and now extend our apologies to Kansas State University, its alumni, and fans.
“We regret this incident, have learned from it, and are committed to ensuring it doesn’t happen again. Please accept our deepest apologies.”
A video clip of the incident shared on social media shows Johnson’s father straddling his older brother on the ground and several Kansas State fans working to break up the melee.
Someone in the crowd around the pair says, “Anthony, this is embarrassing as ****” before the two are finally separated.
Avery Johnson finished with 273 yards passing and two touchdowns for Kansas State, while also adding 10-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
“I mean that’s the thing, regardless of the outcome we have 11 games to play,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “We have our back against the wall, but now we’ve got to reset and regroup and get ready to play.”
Iowa State clinched the season-opening victory and 1-0 start to the Big 12 Conference with a critical 4th-and-3 conversion with 2:26 remaining in Kansas State territory. Matt Campbell rolled the dice on a passing call and Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht hooked up with Carson Hansen for 15 yards to ice it.
“He called a great play, he gave me two plays and let me decide and I knew we were going to have a chance to get it,” Becht said. “We’ve worked on it in practice and it’s been working for us and we’re confident with it and I have trust in my guys.”
The two teams combined for four lost fumbles in the first half in soggy, wet conditions before the Cyclones moved ahead 24-14 in the second half prior to Kansas State’s last gasp.
“We just made some great adjustments,” Campbell said. “We saw some things different in the first game and the opportunity to make some adjustments and to have the ability to do that, to have the staff that’s been together for so long that we have the confidence to make those adjustments.”
Read the full article here
