POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State football coach Mike Kramer has been suspended for his team's game at Montana on Saturday for violating the university's conduct policy, athletic director Jeff Tingey said Tuesday.
The suspension came as Kramer was being investigated by the university and Pocatello police after wide receiver Derek Graves reported that Kramer shoved him to the ground during practice on Oct. 3.
Video obtained by ESPN shows Kramer running toward a player on the field, putting his face close to the player's helmet and shoving him with two hands. The player falls to the turf.
Graves' attorney, Don Jackson, said his client suffered neck and back spasms after the fall.
Graves reported the incident to Pocatello police on Oct. 14, saying he missed two games and hadn't been cleared by doctors to play yet. He missed his third game Saturday as the Bengals fell 52-14 at Northern Colorado.
Idaho State associate head coach Don Bailey will serve as the acting head coach on Saturday as Idaho State (1-6, 0-4 Big Sky) takes on Montana (3-5, 1-4) in Missoula.
The university said it would have no further comment because the matter was a personnel issue.
A voicemail left with the ISU football office seeking comment from Kramer was not immediately returned Tuesday.
Pocatello City Attorney Dan Tranmer told the Idaho State Journal on Monday that the police investigation is wrapping up. He said the city legal department has yet to determine whether any charge may be filed against Kramer.
Kramer is in his second season at Idaho State. Before that, he had been out of coaching for four years. He was fired by Montana State in 2007 following at least five drug-related arrests of current or former players.
Kramer later settled a wrongful discharge lawsuit filed against Montana State.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.