FSU BOG chair apologizes for altercation with football coach

According to a police report, Board chair Andrew Kniceley criticized coach Gary Lanham for not giving his son more playing time during the game.

Lanham is the offensive line coach for Fairmont State’s football team. Kniceley’s son is an offensive lineman on the team.

The police report stated Kniceley’s son and a Fairmont police officer stepped in between Kniceley and Lanham in an attempt to stop the confrontation.

“When I engaged Coach Lanham, I did so as a father and my emotions got out of control, resulting in a shouting match that I take complete blame for,” Kniceley wrote in his apology.

The apology appeared in the Times-West Virginian newspaper, of which Kniceley is also the publisher.

“I am sincerely sorry if I offended Coach Lanham,” he continued. “I should have known that I cannot separate my position at FSU or my role in the community as publisher of this newspaper from parental concern in a situation such as this, especially when my emotions got the best of my behavior.”

“I’ve been in this business for over 20 years and can honestly say that I’ve never had a situation like this happen to me before,” Lanham wrote in a statement published in The Dominion Post newspaper.  

“I am a professional and personally feel that I am fair in regards to playing time,” he said. “I feel as though my coaching rights have been violated because of this behavior.”

Fairmont State University spokeswoman Amy Pellegrin said the administration will not comment at this time.

“Internally, any response or action would come from the Fairmont State University Board of Governors,” she said.

Currently, no charges have been filed against Kniceley.