Football is a violent sport, but not like this.

A junior college football player was hauled off to jail on a felony battery charge after he punched a referee during a game Saturday night.

Mt. San Antonio College offensive lineman Bernard Schirmer appeared to have gotten into a war of words with an opposing player for Ventura College. A referee did his best to separate them and keep Schirmer away from the other team, but Schirmer lost his cool and clocked the zebra, who tumbled to the ground.

A team official then grabbed Schirmer and looked like he was going to escort him off the field before the video ended.

The referee, who did not return to the game and whose name has not been released, does not want to press charges.

Playing days for Schirmer, who stands six-five and weighs 270 pounds, could be in jeopardy. Hitting a referee could result in a five-year ban under California Community College Athletic Association rules.

Schirmer's father claims his son was merely hitting himself to calm down when he accidentally made contact with the ref.

This incident echoes a high-profile matter last year in which high school players in Texas were suspended for targeting a referee.

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