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ESPN's Herbstreit apologizes to Baylor for fake injury claim
WACO, Texas (AP) ESPN commentator Kirk Herbstreit apologized Sunday to Baylor and Terrell Burt after accusing the senior safety of faking an injury during the Bears' loss to Oklahoma.
Herbstreit's apology came in a series of three posts on his Twitter account.
''I'd like to apologize to (at)BUFootball & Terrell Burt. Last pm I thought he had faked an injury and I was DEAD WRONG,'' Herbstreit wrote on Twitter.
With the No. 7 Sooners lining up for a play with 9:44 left in their 44-34 victory Saturday night, Baylor cornerback Ryan Reid suddenly ran toward Burt and motioned for him to get down to the ground. Burt then bent forward and rolled over onto his back, prompting an injury timeout.
What was unknown at the time was that Burt had sprained his right ankle on the kickoff before Oklahoma had already snapped the ball twice on that drive.
Baylor trainer Mike Sims said Sunday that Burt's ankle ''is sore and swollen today.''
During the broadcast, when thinking it was a fake injury, Herbstreit was critical with his comments while Burt was being tended to by trainers and a replay was shown.
''I've never seen anything like that in my life,'' Herbstreit said during the ABC broadcast. ''That is awful. Now he's going to fake a limp. I mean that is bush league. I don't get that. ... This is football. That's unethical. You don't do that.''
Even when fellow broadcaster Chris Fowler asked if it was possible that Burt was hurt, Herbstreit quickly responded, ''No, he was ready to play.''
Burt had his ankle re-taped on the sideline and missed eight or nine plays before returning at the end of that drive that resulted in Oklahoma's final touchdown.
Herbstreit acknowledged in his apology Sunday that Burt was trying to fight through an ankle injury and kept playing until a teammate forced him to sit down to get treated.
''I saw what I saw at the time and didn't realize he had tweaked it earlier. I take full responsibility and apologize sincerely to Terrell,'' he posted.
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AP college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org
