East Carolina Beats Temple as Referee Collision Injures Coleman

East Carolina defeated Temple 17-9, but the game’s most serious incident came between plays, when a referee slipped and collided with freshman defensive back David Coleman Jr., injuring his right leg. Coleman was helped from the field, and ESPN’s broadcast reported that he was taken to a hospital. Video of the collision shows an official moving toward the players before falling into Coleman as East Carolina’s defense prepared for the next play. Coleman went down and needed assistance to leave the field. The collision happened during a stoppage, rather than in a tackle or other live play. The severity of Coleman’s injury has not been confirmed, and no return timetable was reported. On3 reported that he likely suffered a fractured fibula, but that remains an unconfirmed assessment, not an established diagnosis. The hospital transport was reported on ESPN’s broadcast; the supplied reports do not provide a later medical update. Coleman entered the game with six tackles across three appearances in the 2026 season. He recorded another tackle against Temple before leaving with the injury, according to one account. The freshman is a defensive back from Kingsland, Georgia, and played...