By Malcolm Butler
Thursday night’s impressive win by Louisiana Tech over Middle Tennessee was somewhat overshadowed by a scary incident involving Bulldog safety Michael Richard early in the third quarter.
With just under 14 minutes to play in the quarter, Richard made a physical tackle on Blue Raider running back Jaiden Credle after a one-yard reception. Richard got up, was obviously dizzy and tried to make it to the Tech sideline with assistance from teammates.
However, the New Orleans native fell to the turf around the numbers close to the Tech sideline and was immediately surrounded by trainers and medical professionals.
It took approximately 20 minutes for medical personnel, including EMS personnel from Pafford EMS, to get Richard’s helmet, shoulder pads and jersey off. They placed a neck brace on him and eventually loaded him onto a backboard and then onto the stretcher where the wheeled him to the Pafford ambulance waiting in the north endzone.
It was an emotional scene as Bulldog players knelt in a circle around their fallen teammate, many visibly shaken and emotional.
“There were guys crying down there,” said head coach Sonny Cumbie. “It was pretty emotional.”
Richard was loaded into the ambulance and transported to LSU-Shreveport for further evaluation.
Following the game, Cumbie provided an update on Richard.
“We’ve got an update on Michael Richard,” Cumbie told reporters. “Mike Mike is doing well. He’s responsive, He’s talking and he’s on his way to Shreveport right now and so that’s the best news of the night to be honest.
“I’ve never really, as a coach nor a player, gone through anything like that on the field. That was as dramatic and significant as what happened. And just a beloved player for our team, for our defense and so just really thrilled with the news that he’s doing well on his way to Shreveport now and responsive and talking.”
Other Tech officials confirmed following the game that Richard was fully responsive and still at LSU-Shreveport for further evaluations.
Following the delay, the Bulldog defense allowed the Blue Raiders to drive the field for the only TD it allowed over Middle Tennessee’s final 10 drives of the game.
Cumbie addressed how difficult it was trying to refocus on the game.
“And so, you know, our players and coaches to see something like that and to go through it was really difficult and the emotion that our players showed, you know, just to battle back through that,” said Cumbie. “You know, I think it’s just a testament really to the character of our players, the character of our coaches to be able to pull our team through that. So I was very, very, very encouraged on the news about Mike Mike.”
Richard was originally flagged for targeting on the play, but after officials video review, the targeting call was overturned.
Richard recorded five tackles before suffering the injury.
