Drumline didn’t perform at the football game against Northwest Oct. 20 after Whitmaniacs appealed a ban administrators placed on the club for the Homecoming football game.

Administrators initially prohibited Drumline from playing during the Homecoming game, but reconsidered after a request from Whitmaniacs. Still, administrators banned the post game jam circle, playing in the aisles in the bleachers, playing in the student section and playing during the next home game.

The main reason for removing Drumline from the football game was safety and student behavior around the drummers, administrator Jerome Easton said.

“It is our number one responsibility to do our best to keep everyone in the building, everyone associated with the school, safe at all times,” said Easton. “We were concerned about Drumline blocking aisles during the game, being in the bus lane after games, and the uncooperative way the students and Drumline acted when they were asked to move.”

After Drumline’s early exit from the Homecoming game in compliance with security regulation, students mobbed Drumline and began yelling at security. Despite appreciating the support, Drumline didn’t agree with the students’ actions.

“I’m very excited to see such overwhelming support and enthusiasm from the student body,” drummer Rob Lloyd said. “However, the chants, outrage at security and administrators, and overall behavior of the student crowd was not appreciated and speaking on behalf of Drumline, we do not support the behavior of the student body.”

Students weren’t entirely aware of the situation, as some thought Drumline chose not to perform.

“Everyone was just really excited and we really wanted Drumline to play,” sophomore Drew Meadows said. “No one really knew what was going on, but I don’t think it would have mattered either way. We just wanted Drumline to play.”

The students’ anger even extended toward Terry Alvey, Drumline’s teacher sponsor.

“It was one hundred percent unacceptable,” Alvey said. “It really was Drumline’s job to help deescalate that situation and help set the record straight, but there wasn’t really any time to do that. This lead to the fans not really getting the whole story and not fully understanding what was happening.”

Drumline will play at the two football games after Northwest, both during and after the games.