It’s widely known that college football is a physically demanding and often violent sport. The speed and nature of the game will naturally lend itself to potentially brutal injuries. However, college football devotees will never become accustomed to a player collapsing on the field, a scenario that can send shivers down the spine of even the most seasoned fans. Unfortunately, that exact injury situation unfolded Thursday in a C-USA tilt between the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.
Early in the third quarter, with Lousiana Tech winning 41-14, defensive back Michael Richard went to make a tackle for the Bulldogs. After popping up from the ground, Richard collapsed on the field, with medical staff imminently coming to his aid, similar to Damar Hamlin with the Buffalo Bills circa 2022. College football fans flooded Twitter to share their thoughts and prayers with Richard, the LA Tech football program, and his family.
College Football Fans Devastated After Scary Michael Richard Injury
According to Sidelines – Louisiana Tech:
Scaring injury for Michael Richard, going off in a stretcher and leaving in an ambulance. Prayers up for him!
Following a tackle attempt near the beginning of the second half, Richard immediately collapsed after collecting himself off the turf. Medical personnel quickly tended to Richard, who was flat on the field for several minutes. An ambulance eventually made its way toward the defensive back, with Richard being carted off the field. Per Daily News Journal, Richard had his eyes open but did not have movement in his legs before his departure.
A three-star recruit in the class of 2023, Richard earned C-USA Freshman of the Year and C-USA All-Freshman Team honors last season. He posted 32 tackles, seven PBUs, and two TFLs. Entering this Thursday, the Louisiana native had 19 tackles. With LA Tech playing on a night with only three college football games, many fans saw Richard’s scary injury in real time, sharing their shock through social media:
As exciting as this win is, I hope we hear something about Michael Richard by the morning of not tonight. Hope he's okay and he can eventually come back to the sidelines this season to cheer on his team.
— Peyton Bonvillain (@TheCajun_X) October 11, 2024
2023 Conference USA DB Freshman Michael Richard was carted off the La Tech field in an ambulance
— Collin Wilson (@_Collin1) October 11, 2024
Prayers for Michael Richard 🙏🏾
— R.W. (@Dubdeman777) October 11, 2024
🙏 up for Michael Richard and his family as well as all the @LATechFB team.
— GUP (@GUP_GC) October 11, 2024
Praying for Michael Richard, his family and the LA Tech football team. I hate that things like this even happen 🙏🏾
— mb. ⚜️ (@_getlikemark) October 11, 2024
Hoping LA Tech’s Michael Richard is ok. I will never not be scared seeing a player just collapse on the field. 😔
— kristy 🌒🍁🎃⚾️🏈⚽️🏐 (@kristy527) October 11, 2024
🙏-ers for Tech DB Michael Richard. Scary stuff, but saw his arms move as he was loaded into the Pafford ambulance.
— Morgan Morey (@MorganJMorey) October 11, 2024
Went to go turn on the Yankees game & when I turned the TV on I still had CBS Sports on from this morning. DB Michael Richard on LA Tech delivered a hit during a play then collapsed. Eerily similar to Damar Hamlin game. Put on a stretcher & taken away in an ambulance 😳🙏🏻
— x – Vets4Mets 🪖🇺🇲⚾❤🎃 (@Vets4Mets) October 11, 2024
I remember how terrified I was when Kellen Stewart was back boarded last year in Floyd Stadium. Thankfully, Stewart ended up being ok.
Praying that Michael Richard has the same outcome after a scary moment that's stopped the game in Ruston.
— Sam Doughton (@sjdoughton) October 11, 2024
Praying over this scary situation in Ruston with La Tech DB Michael Richard
— ThreeTechPod 🎙 (@ThreeTechPod) October 11, 2024
Prayers up for Michael Richard 🙏🙏🙏🙏
— Peyton Bonvillain (@TheCajun_X) October 11, 2024
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