Seven overtimes were only part of the chaos at Kyle Field on Saturday night.
As fans rushed onto the field following the 74-72 Texas A&M victory, LSU analyst Steve Kragthorpe, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2011, was punched during an altercation, LSU officials have confirmed.
Multiple outlets have reported that the man who punched Kragthorpe was Cole Fisher, the nephew of Aggie coach Jimbo Fisher. Texas A&M has confirmed to multiple outlets that Cole Fisher is an undergraduate assistant on the football staff, but did not comment on his role in the alleged indecent.
Kragthorpe said in an on-the-record interview with Glenn Guilbeau of Gannett Louisiana that he was punched in the chest, where he had a pacemaker put in last year.
“Out of nowhere, I got nailed,” Kragthorpe told Gannett Louisiana. “I didn’t go down, but I clutched over. I was like, ‘Damn, he got me right in my pacemaker.’ Then it started fluttering like he jostled it.”
The long-time coach was checked out by medical personnel on the scene and ultimately cleared. Initially hired as an offensive coordinator under Les Miles, Kragthorpe has served as an analyst since 2013.
Around the same time, the sideline credentialed individual identified as Cole Fisher was photographed in a physical altercation with LSU director of player dersonnel Kevin Faulk, a former All-American running back and Super Bowl champion.
Faulk, who also spoke with Gannett Louisiana, said the incident occurred after he observed the individual in question punch Kragthorpe.
“It’s unfortunate this situation happened,” Faulk told Gannett Louisiana. “It got out of hand. But I was just behaving as my mom and dad raised me. This guy hit Coach Kragthorpe in the chest. I just stepped in. It just happened.”
Part of the altercation was captured on video and tweeted by someone on the field after the game.
Fight breaks out between LSU assistant and Aggie assistant. It’s a rivalry #TAMUvsLSU pic.twitter.com/JHUihGToX4
— Zach Taylor (@ZachTaylorSport) November 25, 2018
According to both Kragthorpe’s account and one provided by LSU sideline reporter Gordy Rush, the incident coincided with a verbal altercation involving Texas A&M receivers coach Dameyune Craig. Craig served in the same capacity at LSU before being fired by LSU coach Ed Orgeron in February 2017.
“Dameyune Craig started the whole thing,” Kragthorpe told Gannett Louisiana. “Just trash talking and yelling and screaming a bunch of crap.
“I went up to Dameyune and said, ‘Hey, Dameyune get out of here. You won. You don’t need to be doing that. Move along. And that’s when I got hit. I mean, I got nailed. He was a young guy. I’m 53. I’m not going to fight him. I have Parkinson’s, but even if I didn’t, I haven’t gotten in a fight since high school. That would be a poor reflection on Coach O and (LSU Athletic Director) Joe (Alleva).”
LSU has asked the Southeastern Conference to look into the incident. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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