UofL Player Recovering From Broken Neck

Doctors at Jewish Hospital say injured U of L football player Anthony Conner could be released as early as this week. Conner suffered a broken neck during Friday’s win over Rutgers. A senior cornerback from Houston, Conner missed last season with a knee injury; he had worked his way into a starting job this year.

But Conner’s playing career came to an end in the second quarter Friday night when he went low to make a tackle. The hit upended a Rutgers receiver, but Conner struck his head on the player’s knee.

“When he made the hit….and his hands tightened up, I said over the headset to Vance, our defensive coordinator, I said ‘Oh God, Vance, this doesn’t look good.’ And you could hear the thump, it was like, bam, you heard the thump. And right then I said this doesn’t look good. When we ran out on the field, he was still out,” U of L coach Charlie Strong said today.

Strong says Conner did not suffer any paralysis. He underwent a surgical procedure this morning but could be cleared to go home in a couple of days.

U of L will be back in action at home Saturday against Syracuse.