Ouch...and holy crap.

IHateUGAlyDawgs · Post by **IHateUGAlyDawgs** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:28 pm

Tailback Stafon Johnson suffered a throat injury while weightlifting Monday morning and is undergoing surgery this afternoon.

Johnson, a senior from Compton, was bench-pressing with a spotter in Heritage Hall's weight room when the bar slipped out of his right hand and fell at an angle onto his throat. USC's athletic trainers and emergency personnel rushed to the scene, and Johnson was taken to a local hospital, where he's currently undergoing surgery on his throat.

"It was an unfortunate accident and Stafon is getting great care right now," Coach Pete Carroll said. "We don't have a lot of information at this point and we'll keep everyone updated, but our thoughts and prayers are with Stafon."

Head strength and conditioning coach Chris Carlisle, who was within 10 feet of the incident, said he was shocked something like this could happen.

"I've seen players have the bar slip and fall onto their chest, but never in my 25 years of coaching have I heard of someone dropping a bar on their throat," Carlisle said. "We're fortunate he was being spotted."

The bench press is commonly regarded as one of the safest exercises in the weight room, especially with a spotter, Carlisle said. An assistant strength and conditioning coach was spotting Johnson this morning.

Johnson's recovery time from surgery is unknown at this time.

USCRipsIt will have more information as it becomes available.

Toothy · Post by **Toothy** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:16 am

That is grisly.

It is just and meet that the USC site has the word Crips in it.

TheTodd · Post by **TheTodd** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:43 am

Yeah, that is a crazy story. Hopefully he fully recovers.

TheTodd · Post by **TheTodd** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:59 am

and where was the dudes spotter?

G8RKyle · Post by **G8RKyle** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:55 am

Freak accident, but I read that he should recover fully. Probably won't play again this year.

G8rMom7 · Post by **G8rMom7** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:16 am

Ouch...I hope he recovers and isn't in too much pain. Poor guy.

G8rMom7 · Post by **G8rMom7** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:17 am

Oh and where are the posts about how it's Pete Carroll's fault for making him bench press more than he could obviously handle?

IHateUGAlyDawgs · Post by **IHateUGAlyDawgs** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:38 am

This is clearly Pete Carroll's fault for not stopping him from bench pressing that much.

IHateUGAlyDawgs · Post by **IHateUGAlyDawgs** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:38 am

^^^there you go, m7

UFgirlfan07 · Post by **UFgirlfan07** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:41 am

Completely different situation.

Back to the actual topic, that sucks for the kid. It had to hurt.

G8rMom7 · Post by **G8rMom7** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 10:58 am

I was kidding Katie...in case you didn't catch that.

MinGator · Post by **MinGator** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 1:54 pm

Where was his agent to keep him safe.

Hope the kid recovers quickly.