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Mompremier In Stable Condition After Collision

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 21, 2008

MIAMI - University of South Florida senior LB Brouce Mompremier, who collided with teammate Carlton Williams while attempting to make a tackle in the third quarter, was in stable condition Saturday night in a Miami hospital after leaving the game in an ambulance.

Williams said Mompremier was initially knocked unconscious. He was taken off the field in an ambulance and airlifted to Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital. USF officials said he can move his arms and legs, but has some tingling in his shoulders.

Mompremier was scheduled to undergo tests on his neck and was scheduled to spend Saturday night in the hospital, with what on-field doctors thought might be a spinal cord injury.

"He hit me right here in my hip," Williams said. "The collision is what really did it to him. It was very scary."

Mompremier, who played at Miami Edison, said on Tuesday he was excited about returning home and hoped he would be named a captain. Mompremier was named a captain Wednesday and several of his family members attended the game. He had two tackles before his injury with 6:43 remaining in the third quarter.

SELVIE SIDELINED: USF junior DE George Selvie left in the third quarter with a right ankle injury and did not return.

Selvie watched the fourth quarter with his ankle iced, but he said it was only a sprain.

"It's good," Selvie said. "I would be ready to play a game today."

Besides Mompremier, Selvie and Williams (hip), the Bulls had two other defensive starters banged up: NT Terrell McClain (ankle) and CB Tyller Roberts (ankle). Also, LB Alonzo McQueen (foot) and WR Ed Alcin (foot) were injured.

TRIVIA ANSWER: USF sophomore RB Mike Ford made history Saturday night. In the first quarter, he scored on a 2-yard run, becoming the first person to score in FIU's new stadium. He also accounted for FIU's first points, when he was tackled for a safety in the end zone in the fourth quarter.

Ford, who had only one carry last week against Kansas and missed the UCF game with an ankle injury, finished with 14 carries for 24 yards and two TDs. His longest run from scrimmage was 6 yards.

COAST TO COAST: USF's 99-yard touchdown drive in the first quarter was the longest in school history. The Bulls took 13 plays to go 99 yards, capped by Ford's 2-yard run.

The previous longest TD drive was 98 yards in eight plays against Nicholls State on Sept. 6, 2003, capped by a 67-yard TD pass from Ronnie Banks to Elgin Hicks.

FIRST DOWN, BULLS ... I THINK: Jim Louk and Mark Robinson, USF's radio play-by-play man and analyst, certainly had a unique challenge broadcasting Saturday's game.

The radio booths were on the far west end of the press box. Louk and Robinson couldn't see the entire field from their location in the press box, specifically the final 15 yards at the east end of the field, where USF scored its first touchdown.

"We'll be laughing about it in a couple of years," Robinson said.

DIFFERENT NUMBERS: FIU was hoping for a capacity crowd of 18,000 for the first game in its new on-campus stadium. The announced attendance was 16,717, but the actual attendance was maybe 10,000.

That's because FIU fans couldn't buy a single game ticket and had to spend $100 for a season ticket to see the 12th-ranked Bulls.

USF had 3,000 tickets available for the game and sold 1,500, USF assistant AD Eric Book said. USF single-game tickets were sold for $51, the most expensive ticket for a USF road game, to see a team that has lost 25 of its last 26 games.

ODDS AND ENDS: Selvie had his second sack in as many games. ... The Bulls improved to 8-1 against Florida teams. ... Besides Mompremier, USF's other senior captains: LB Tyrone McKenzie, C Jake Griffin and RT Marc Dile.

Brett McMurphy

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