In one of the most bizarre moments of the college football season, an official accidentally fractured the leg of East Carolina defensive back David Coleman Jr during the first half of the Pirates’ 17-9 win over Temple at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium.
Coleman Jr was standing on the field with teammates between plays when the official ran in to address something near the 40-yard line. As the referee approached the players from behind, he slipped and slid directly into Coleman Jr, sending the defensive back crashing forward to the turf.
David Coleman Jr (Credits: BBC Sport)
David Coleman Jr Fractures Fibula After Referee Slip
Coleman Jr stayed down on the turf before eventually being carried off by two teammates so he would not have to put weight on his injured leg. East Carolina head coach Blake Harrell later confirmed that a half-time X-ray showed Coleman Jr had fractured his fibula during the incident. “Our thoughts and our prayers are with him. But that’s just one of those things. Kind of wild it happens, I’d never seen that from an official,” Harrell said.
East Carolina Still Beat Temple 17-9
Despite the freak injury, East Carolina held on for the 17-9 victory, with Coleman Jr recording one tackle before leaving the game. The Pirates will now have to regroup in the secondary as their defensive back begins his recovery, though the timeline for his return is not yet known.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
