Manu: ‘I Made a Terrible Mistake’ : Community colleges: Riverside player’s punching of official on Saturday could end up in court.

A football player strikes an official, and one wonders:

How can this happen? What would cause a talented athlete to put his career in jeopardy by engaging in such a blatantly vicious act? What was he thinking? Was he thinking?

The answers, it seem, won’t come any time soon.

Sam Manu, the Riverside City College linebacker who punched field judge Nick Van Lue during a game Saturday, isn’t ready to talk. The former Carson High standout has been unavailable for comment, except for a brief statement released Monday by Riverside.

“I am not trying to hide from the media,” Manu said, according to the release. “But for several reasons, I cannot yet comment on my actions in last weekend’s game against Golden West. As I have said through the college, I am sorry for my actions. I made a terrible mistake and have embarrassed the college, my coaches and teammates.”

Riverside dismissed Manu from the team Sunday, a decision that figures to weaken the Tigers. Manu, a 6-foot-1, 240-pound sophomore, entered Saturday’s game leading Riverside in tackles and interceptions.

But it remains to be seen if the dismissal is sufficient punishment to satisfy Van Lue. The 43-year-old teacher and coach at Narbonne High said he will decide whether to pursue legal action after meeting with Mission Conference administrators.

“I’m not a lawyer,” Van Lue said. “I have to do what’s best for other officials so this doesn’t happen again. I’m sure (Manu) is sorry now, but he didn’t think about it at the time.”

Van Lue spent four hours at Fountain Valley Hospital on Saturday night after he was punched on the chin by Manu in the third quarter of Golden West’s 22-13 victory over Riverside at Orange Coast College. Van Lue had just cited Manu for unsportsmanlike conduct, saying he saw the player take an open-handed swing at a Golden West player after a tackle.

Van Lue, who doesn’t remember hitting the ground, was unconscious for about a minute and remained on the ground for several minutes before being assisted to the sideline.

Tom Fox, a Narbonne assistant football coach who accompanied Van Lue to the game, drove his friend to the hospital, where Van Lue said he passed out again for about 15 minutes. After tests and X-rays, Van Lue said doctors told him he had suffered a mild concussion.

In his 20 years as an official, the last 14 on the college level, Van Lue said it was the first time a player had ever taken a swing at him.

“You get players who bump into you, or spit at you, or curse at you,” he said. “I’ve been through all that as an official. You do as much talking to those players, and most respond very well. Except this kid here. He just lost it.”

Riverside Coach Barry Meier and Gene Vollnogle, who coached Manu at Carson, said it was out of character for the player to act in such a violent manner.

“We feel this is an isolated incident,” Meier said. “Sam is a good kid. He realizes he made a terrible mistake. Right now we just want to help him recover from this incident and go on with his academic career.”

Meier said he will encourage Manu to stay in school and seek counseling to review the incident and explore ways to moderate his behavior.

Vollnogle described Manu as a loner at Carson, where he played fullback and linebacker on the Colts’ 1988 L.A. City Section 4-A championship team.

“It’s not like him,” Vollnogle said of the incident. “He’s usually a controlled individual. His problem was not going to class (at Carson). I can’t imagine him instigating anything.

“He’s real quiet; a really nice guy. I never even heard him cuss. He’s the type of kid you would like to go out with your daughter.

“It’s hard for me to believe that he would punch an official. But things happen. People go off.”

Exactly what set off Sam Manu on Saturday remains a mystery.