SAN ANTONIO — Two Texas football players accused of intentionally ramming into a referee during a high school game allege the referee directed racial slurs at them, school district officials said Tuesday.

The district, which previously suspended the two players, has placed an assistant coach on paid leave while it investigates allegations that he suggested there should be retaliation against the referee for missed calls, Northside Independent School District Superintendent Brian T. Woods said at a news conference.

The two suspended John Jay High School students, whose names aren’t being released, will go through a disciplinary hearing and the incident will be treated as an assault on a school official, according to the school district.

The district is in the process of filing a complaint about the racial slur allegation with the Texas Association of Sports Officials, Woods said.

Video from Friday’s game between John Jay High School and Marble Falls High School showed the referee watching a play, and his head snapping back when he is leveled from behind. The other player then dove on top of him.

Northside school district officials said that during the game, the suspended players “were feeling lots of frustration by what they perceived to be missed or wrong calls by the refs.” The players also alleged the referee directed racial slurs at them.

The students allege that assistant coach Mack Breed, 29, said “that guy needs to pay for cheating us” or words to that effect, according to the district.