Colorado coach Karl Dorrell apologized Sunday for an incident in which he shoved the camera of a photojournalist after the Buffaloes were routed by Southern California on Saturday.
Video of the incident shows him reaching out with his right hand to push the camera aside as the photographer from CBS affiliate KCNC-TV in Denver filmed Dorrell jogging off the field after the 37-14 loss in Boulder.
“I want to apologize for the incident at the end of our game Saturday,” the 58-year-old Dorrell said Sunday in a statement released by the university. “We do value the media and the coverage they provide for our program, and this was strictly in the heat of the moment.
“That’s not who I am, and I hope people who have known me through the years do realize that. I did reach out and spoke directly this morning to the videographer from CBS-4 and personally apologized to him.”
About three hours after the incident, athletic director Rick George apologized in a tweet: “Coach Dorrell sends his apologies to the local journalist who he intercepted after today’s game. We treat journalists with respect and apologize for falling short of that today.”
That apology drew criticism on social media due to Dorrell not directly issuing it.
Coach Dorrell sends his apologies to the local journalist who he intercepted after today’s game. We treat journalists with respect and apologize for falling short of that today.
— Rick George (@RickGeorgeCU) October 3, 2021
The loss to the Trojans was the fourth straight for the Buffaloes (1-4, 0-2) and third straight via blowout. Colorado has been outscored 102-27 while losing to Minnesota, Arizona State and USC over the past three weeks.
The Buffaloes went 4-2 last season in Dorrell’s first campaign.
Dorrell was formerly the head coach at UCLA and went 35-27 in five seasons from 2003-07.
–Field Level Media
