Texas Football Coach Pleads Guilty To Assault For Telling Players To Tackle Referee

Mack Breed, who was accused of directing two players to tackle a referee during a game in September, turned himself in to the Marble Falls Police Department on Monday and later entered a guilty plea, according to the Burnet County Attorney's Office.

As part of a plea agreement, the assistant coach's sentence of 12 months in jail and a $3,500 fine was suspended and he was instead sentenced to 18 months of probation. In addition, Breed must complete 120 hours of community service, pay restitution to referee Robert Watts, surrender his Texas teaching certificate, and complete an anger management course, Burnet County Attorney's Office announced in a press release.

During a game against Marble Falls High School on September 4, Breed told two defensive backs to hit the referee near the end of the game for allegedly making racial comments.

Victor Rojas was caught on video hitting Watts from behind, causing the referee's head to snap back, at which point a second player, Michael Moreno, is seen piling on the referee who was already on the ground.

The investigation into the two players in ongoing and the Burnet County Attorney's Office said charges against them are expected to be filed "shortly."

In a statement from September, Pascual Gonzalez, Northside Independent School District's executive director of communications, called the incident "extremely disturbing."

"Not the sportsmanlike behavior we teach students," he added.