Mompremier: Neck injury was 'terrifying'

USF linebacker Brouce Mompremier, sidelined since a serious neck injury 10 days ago against Florida International, said Monday that he could not feel his arms or legs for several minutes on the field as trainers attended to him after a violent collision.

"It was the scariest thing I could ever imagine," Mompremier said. "It was terrifying. I tried to get up and I couldn't feel anything. Being like that for probably like five minutes, everything raced through my mind. I'm thinking 'How would I live my life like this?' The only thing I could move was my head and my neck."

Mompremier, a senior from Miami, regained feeling and movement in his arms and legs before he was transported to an ambulance on the field, which took him to a helicopter, which took him to Jackson Memorial Hospital. He said feeling pain from the injury and a pins-and-needles sensation in his arms and legs was a welcome change from the uncertainty of feeling nothing.

"When it started to come back, I started feeling the pain, but at that time, I was glad for the pain," Mompremier said.

Steve Walz, USF's assistant athletic director for sports medicine, said Mompremier suffered a "neuropraxia," a short-term paralysis caused by a concussion or shock to the spinal cord that does not come with any long-term symptoms. "It comes and goes away quickly," Walz said.

At the hospital, Mompremier stayed on his back in a neck brace overnight, as doctors wouldn't let him attempt to stand or walk until the next morning. With USF's team returning to Tampa, the only teammate he saw in the hospital was fellow linebacker Sabbath Joseph, who is also from Miami and stayed in his hometown.

Mompremier has shown encouraging progress since the injury, and while he won't play in Thursday's game against Pittsburgh, he hopes to return to practice next week, with an eye on returning to the playing field for USF's Oct. 18 home game against Syracuse.

"(A team doctor) told me I'm no more at risk than any other guy on the field," he said. "That was a pretty good thing for me to hear, because it gives me confidence to go back out there. The whole thing I'm thinking about is how am I going to tackle? Am I going to change my approach? Is my head going to be way behind my body? I probably forget how to tackle. I have to get back to the basics, so hopefully the game hasn't gotten far away from me."

Mompremier returned to practice as a spectator last Tuesday and has been around the team since; he was selected by USF coach Jim Leavitt to be one of four game captains against N.C. State, a reflection of his leadership on an experienced defense.

"I'm really missing being out there," Mompremier said. "I'm not missing the running after practice, but missing the whole concept of football right now. It's hard, but I'm grateful to be out there with those guys."

Mompremier ran with his teammates at Sunday's practice but said he stopped after getting a headache. The Bulls will likely have a limited practice schedule next week with no game to prepare for, but Mompremier expects to return to drills in time to play in the next game.

"I'm pretty optimistic I'm going to be back (for) Syracuse," he said.

Comments

[DELdaBULL]

I was scared also. Glad he will be alright even if that means no more football.

[Bulliever]

We were at the FIU game sitting in the corner of the stands, and the ambulance was parked in such a way we could not see much of anything…And we waited for what seemed like forever …That is when both teams got into the center of the field and prayed. I was literally out of my mind…I thought the worse and was crying, I felt so bad for him and his family…

It was not until we were at the hotel and listened to the news did we hear that he was going to be okay….Yeah!!

We love watching Brouce…We have the WVa game tivoed from 2 years ago and he was amazing …Just all over the place….

It will be great to see him playing again, but it is most important for him to get healthy. We wish him all the best and we are very proud of him!

[dres]

What a courageous kid; it is impressive that he is already foreseeing some problems he may face. Im happy to hear he is alright. He is dearly missed on the field!

[Ken]

Scared us, too, Brouce. Glad he's recovering well. The team will definitely be better with him back, but right now, I'd say I'll be surprised if we see him for Syracuse. Surely we won't need him, and what's the point of rushing at all.