Coach Benjy Taylor allegedly tried to address safety protocols when Morehouse football players joined the handshake line, leading to his arrest on court.<\/b>
\nTuskegee University men\u2019s head basketball coach Benjy Taylor was taken off the court by police in handcuffs following the team\u2019s loss on the road to Morehouse College on Saturday night.
Taylor and a law enforcement officer were caught on video during the handshake line between the two teams, and they exchanged words.
While Taylor did appear to be frustrated about something, pointing around the gym, the officer clearly didn\u2019t like what was said and took out his cuffs.
Taylor, 58, was placed under arrest and escorted off the court in a wild scene.
HBCU Gameday reported that Morehouse football players stepped on the court after the game ended in a loss for their basketball team, and Taylor was confronting security about how to address that.
It was reported that the Morehouse football players were entering the handshake line between the two basketball games.
Furthermore, Tuskegee athletic director Reginald Ruffin said that his head coach was trying to ensure safety protocols were being met, especially considering the rivalry between the two schools.
\u00ab\u00a0You got to intermingle football players shaking hands with the team\u00a0\u00bb, Ruffin said. \u00ab\u00a0You don\u2019t do that\u2026that\u2019s a security breach.\u00a0\u00bb
Ruffin added that Taylor asked the officer, \u00ab\u00a0Can you please remove them from the line\u00a0\u00bb, but it was met with a hostile response from the officer.
Taylor told The Field of 68 what happened from his perspective.
\u00ab\u00a0I am at a loss for words and I am upset about how I was violated and treated today\u00a0\u00bb, Taylor said in a statement. \u00ab\u00a0For my players, my family and people of Tuskegee to witness that is heartbreaking for me. I was simply trying to get the football team out of the handshake line as they were following right behind me and the team yelling obscenities! It was a very dangerous situation.\u00a0\u00bb
Taylor later had the handcuffs removed from his hands, and he was allowed to leave the arena with his team.
There were no charges filed in the incident.
Taylor is in his sixth season as head coach of the Golden Tigers. His team currently owns a 15-5 record (14-3 in conference) and a perfect 9-0 record at home.<\/p>\n