Opposing Coaches Need to be Separated After Injury Taunt in Citrus Bowl
A tense moment unfolded during Tuesday’s Citrus Bowl between Illinois and South Carolina when opposing head coaches Bret Bielema and Shane Beamer needed to be separated after a taunt following an injury to a player. Illinois defensive back Jaheim Clarke was injured on a play and tended to by trainers and his head coach, Bret Bielema. Bielema, apparently, was not pleased, and taunted South Carolina with a substitution signal.
The incident seemed to fire up the Gamecocks for a bit, as they scored a touchdown just five plays after Beamer was separated from Bielema to take a 17-14 lead early in the fourth. However, the Illini responded with a 12-play drive of their own, going 75 yards down the field and grinding the end zone to regain the lead, 21-17, midway through the quarter.
The Gamecocks got inside the 10-yard line on their ensuing drive, but they were unable to score, and the Fighting Illini kneeled out the clock. The incident seemed to be a chippy moment in an otherwise intense game, with several taunting calls throughout the contest.
After the game, Bielema dismissed the incident, calling it simply “a football game.” The two coaches shared a handshake and a quick hug after the game, despite the earlier tension. The win marked the fifth time Illinois has ever won 10 games in a season, and the first since 2001.