Ball State wide receiver injury undergoes surgery on spine

UPDATE (1:50 p.m.): Ball State wide receiver Dante Love underwent about a five hour long surgery in Indianapolis late Saturday night into Sunday morning, according to a press release.

“Dante Love suffered a cervical spinal chord injury fracture which required surgery to stabilize the fracture,” said Ball State team physician and orthopedic surgeon Jay Matchett in the statement. “He is currently moving all four extremities.”

Ball State coach Brady Hoke was with Love throughout the night, according to the release.

“We were told the surgery went well,” Hoke said in a statement. “Sunday morning Dante was alert and extremely tired. His attitude and spirits are high and we are praying for him right now.

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The concern over Ball State wide receiver Dante Love’s injury was apparent in Cardinals’ coach Brady Hoke’s post game press conference.

“I’m going to be real brief because I want to go see how Dante Love is doing.” Hoke said, and then abruptly ended the conference less than 30 seconds later to go to his wide receiver’s side.

Love left the game midway through the first quarter in Saturday’s showdown in Bloomington between the Hoosiers and in-state foe Ball State.

Love made a quick 2-yard reception before taking a thumping hit from IU freshman cornerback Chris Adkins.

The hit jarred the ball loose from Love’s grasp, and led to a Hoosier recovery and touchdown return.

The big play rocked Memorial Stadium to its loudest point in a 42-20 IU loss.
But fans on either side of the ball didn’t remain boisterous for very long, as Love lay motionless near IU’s sidelines, and the spot of the hit.

Coaches, players and referees formed a wall around the injured Cardinal, holding back any celebrating Hoosier not aware of what happened.

After a 15 minute delay and on-field prayer sessions by both teams, the medical staff on hand Saturday carted the Cincinnati native off the field.

In the 80-yard ride to the ambulance, Love’s body lay motionless. A collective sigh of relief, followed by applause came over both the Hoosier and Cardinal faithful witnessing the scene, when the video scoreboard of Memorial Stadium showed Love, though having his neck restrained and body lying on a stretcher, was talking to medical staff.

After being loaded into an ambulance, Love was taken to Bloomington Hospital, and then on to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for further evaluation.

In a press release distributed midgame, Ball State sports information director Joe Hernandez said Love did not complain of neck pain, but was experiencing numbness and tingling in areas of his body.

“I couldn’t do nothing but pray for him,” junior linebacker Will Patterson said of his reaction following the universally traumatic play. “Our hearts and our prayers go out to Dante Love and his family and the entire Ball State football team.”

As of 11:30 p.m. Saturday night, no official word on Love’s status had been made public. Check back in with the IDS as we cover this difficult story.

IDS reporter and columnist Dave Leno contributed to this report.