BYU Cheerleading Coach Knocked Out After Heated Win Against Utah
Police at the University of Utah have arrested a teen accused of hitting BYU’s cheerleading coach with a water bottle thrown from the stands during Saturday’s football game between Utah and BYU.
“At the end of tonight’s BYU/Utah game, a fan from Utah sitting in the south endzone threw a water bottle that hit me on the head,” BYU cheerleading coach Jocelyn Allan wrote on Instagram.
“I lost consciousness, but luckily a cheerleader helped lower me to the ground.
“Police are reviewing video to identify the seats where the bottle came from (we have a good lead),” she added. “If anyone witnessed this or knows the family who owns that suite, please reach out. Thank you!”
On Tuesday night, the University of Utah Police Department confirmed the arrest of 18-year-old William Gardner for hitting Allan with the water bottle. Gardner is not a student at the University of Utah.
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Video footage of the incident shows a water bottle being thrown toward the sideline, striking Allan on the head. Bystanders rushed to help her in what turned out to be a tense and controversial victory for the undefeated BYU team.
Down 21-19, a holding penalty called against Utah cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn on a fourth-down play negated a sack and gave BYU possession at their own 19-yard line with about 90 seconds remaining. The Cougars then advanced and secured the win with a 44-yard field goal.
In response, many Utah fans began throwing items onto the field, which is when Allan was hit.
After the game, Utah’s athletic director, Mark Harlan, criticized the outcome, earning a $40,000 fine from the Big 12.
“This game was absolutely taken from us,” Harlan said. “We were excited to join the Big 12, but tonight, that excitement is gone. We won this game, but it was stolen from us. This is extremely disappointing.”
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The league responded swiftly, issuing the fine and a statement on Sunday.
“Mark’s comments irresponsibly questioned the professionalism of our officials and the integrity of the Big 12 Conference,” said Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark. “There is a proper way to voice concerns, but Mark chose the wrong path. This violation justifies a public reprimand and financial penalty. The Big 12 Conference values professionalism, integrity, and fairness and will continue to uphold these principles.”
The win came before a record crowd of 54,383 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. No. 9 BYU improved to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the conference, solidifying their place as a contender for the College Football Playoff.
“I understand that there are better times and methods to express such concerns, and I accept the consequences,” Harlan said in a statement. “My remarks followed a visit to our team’s locker room, where our student-athletes were deeply affected. The University of Utah is proud to be a member of the Big 12 Conference and looks forward to continued cooperation with our peers to strengthen the league.”
This was the first conference matchup between the two teams since 2010 when both left the Mountain West Conference. Utah joined the Big 12 this summer alongside three other former Pac-12 teams, while BYU joined in 2023.