Michigan State football already came into Week 4 against USC shorthanded, and that was before the Spartans lost linebacker Jordan Hall to a targeting call in the first half and his replacement as the “green dot” linebacker, Wayne Matthews III, on Saturday, Sept. 20 in Los Angeles.
Hall’s departure handed the responsibilities of communication with coaches through his helmet radio to Matthews, but that didn’t last long, as Matthews was injured attempting to make a tackle on an option run by Waymond Jordan with 42 seconds remaining in the first half of the Spartans’ game against the Trojans.
After the play, Matthews stayed on the ground, and MSU medical staff called for the backboard and cart for him. He was moving his legs and arms, but the staff appeared to be cutting off his jersey before he was placed on a backboard and into an ambulance.
Matthews gave a thumbs up while strapped on a backboard as trainers waved the team away.
Matthews was taken to a Level 1 trauma facility in Los Angeles, the Fox broadcast reported after halftime. His motor skills were intact, per MSU.
In addition to the losses of Hall and Matthews, the Spartans also lost Quindarius Dunnigan and Nikai Martinez for the game, after they collided on the play before Matthews was injured.
Starting left tackle Stanton Ramil was also injured in the first half and knocked out of the game.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Wayne Matthews injury: Michigan State football loses linebacker during game vs USC
Reporting by Andrew Birkle and Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
