Bret Bielema offers encouraging update on Rawleigh Williams' injury
The main objective of nearly every college football program is to make it through spring practice fully intact. Players are bound to get dinged up, but teams don’t want to lose anyone for a significant amount of time, let alone a star.
Arkansas is facing a worst-case scenario after running back Rawleigh Williams had to be carted off the field during the team’s final spring scrimmage. Williams had the second-most yards among running backs in 2016, and his loss would be a big blow to the Razorbacks.
Here's the hit that injured Williams. Doesn't look bad pic.twitter.com/EeXoFTilav
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) April 29, 2017
To make matters worse, Williams suffered a bad neck injury as a true freshman against Auburn in 2015, which cost him the rest of the season. While being evaluated by medical staff, Williams was moving his fingers and lower extremities. He was still immobilized, however, and taken off the field to a nearby hospital.
After the scrimmage, Bret Bielema provided more information on the situation, and it provides slight room for optimism.
Bielema on Rawleigh Williams’ injury: Seems to be unrelated (to previous injury). … He had full movement going off the field.
— Bo Mattingly (@SportandStoryBo) April 29, 2017
Bielema: Rawleigh Williams kept saying “this is embarrassing” because he wanted to walk off on his own.
— Bo Mattingly (@SportandStoryBo) April 29, 2017
Although it’s encouraging that Williams felt he was capable of walking off the field under his own power, it’s always frightening to see any player suffer such an injury. Credit to Arkansas’ medical staff for taking the appropriate caution and making sure Williams didn’t cause further harm.
Arkansas held one final team scrimmage on Saturday in lieu of its spring game, which was canceled due to inclement weather in the area.