By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
UHfootball player Quincy Jacobs (14) gets involved with a fan at Aloha Stadium last Saturday.
Rainbows athletic director Hugh Yoshida was prepared to sign off on the matter but learned yesterday that Jacobs is seen throwing at least one punch before retreating to the aisle to avoid the police's pepper spray.
After seeing the short video clip provided by KHNL-TV, Jacobs reportedly said he was trying to get away from a man near the bottom of the pile, whom Jacobs claimed had him around the ankles.
What UH officials must decide is whether Jacobs was acting in self defense or mixing it up with a man many witnesses said attacked the former Stanford University running back.
Several skirmishes broke out early in the fourth quarter of last Saturday's Hawaii-Brigham Young University football game.
The man causing the most trouble was a friend of senior strong safety Doe Henderson, who was reportedly heckling Glenn Freitas after the quarterback's fumble resulted in a 45-14 lead for BYU.
Police reports indicate Freitas motioned to his family to take care of the heckler, something Freitas denies. He told UH officials he only met with a family member to see where his relatives would be after the game.
Minutes later, the heckler was attacked by a local male and a fight ensued that eventually involved Jacobs and Thea vonAppen, the head coach's wife.
VonAppen reiterated yesterday that Jacobs shouldn't be faulted because he was trying to protect her, although when the pepper spray is unleashed, she is seen on the tape retreating in one direction and Jacobs in the other.
Yoshida originally expected to announce this morning that Jacobs and Freitas were not guilty of any violent acts.
Because both players left the field, they did violate team rules, which meant UH head coach Fred vonAppen would have determined their punishment.
That may still occur for Freitas, who was exonerated of any major wrong-doing since he only went into the stands to see how his family was after the police unleashed the pepper spray.
VonAppen hopes he will be able to determine Jacobs' fate as well. The problem is, the same committee reviewing the tape today, placed Jacobs on probation earlier this month for his part in a fight with UH volleyball player Moses Goods on Oct. 20.
Yoshida repeatedly warned Jacobs that any transgression from now until May 15 - no matter how minor - would result in his expulsion from school.
VonAppen and Yoshida agree that Jacobs used poor judgment by leaving the field and entering the stands to help settle the dispute between the heckler and Freitas. If he weren't already on probation, then the solution would be easier.
But because he is, and the committee reviewing his case today was involved in that decision, then it becomes a judgment call as to why he threw the punch.
"A decision could be reached late tonight or Monday," a UH official said. "We need to show the committee this piece of tape and see where it takes us."