After having a meltdown on the sideline during Saturday’s game against Akron, Ohio State linebacker K’Vaughan Pope has been kicked off the team.
Buckeyes coach Ryan Day announced Sunday that the senior linebacker has been dismissed but that the program “will support him with his progress toward graduation.”
Pope tried to enter the game in the second quarter, according to Lettermen Row, but was waved off by Buckeyes linebacker Teradja Mitchell. He then started walking toward the locker room before an Ohio State staffer walked him back to the sideline.
The report details how Pope proceeded to throw his gloves into the stands and try to rip his jersey off. The Columbus Dispatch reported Pope and coaches had a “heated exchange” before he was ultimately escorted by a staffer into the locker room.
“Last night I let my emotions get the best of me. For that I want to apologize to my teammates, coaches and Buckeye Nation,” Pope wrote on Twitter on Sunday. “I made a mistake and know that I need to be better and do better. I’m going to take this time to reflect and work on my mental well-being.”
While the game was still going on, Pope wrote “f— Ohio State” on Twitter before eventually deleting it. He also tweeted “good lucc to my teammates,” which is still on his feed.