Arkansas EDGE John Morgan stretchered off of field after scary injury

Arkansas EDGE John Morgan appeared to collapse on the field during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against Texas A&M. The cart came out onto the field, as well, as the trainers tended to him.

Le’Veon Moss took a carry for 13 yards on the play and Morgan took some “light contact,” according to the SEC Network broadcast. After taking a couple steps, he collapsed onto the turf. He was conscious, talking and blinking, according to the broadcast, and was left the field on a board.

The broadcast then cut away from the game and to the SEC Now studio as the trainers moved Morgan onto the backboard and cart.

#Arkansas DE John Morgan being stretchered and carted off the field. #CFB pic.twitter.com/xjTieAqxpT

— Tanner Phifer (@TannerPhiferNFL) September 30, 2023

SEC Network’s Alyssa Lang provided an update on Morgan later in the quarter and he is dealing with a neck injury, according to Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek. He was taken to the hospital out of abundance of caution and per protocol.

“I was standing in the tunnel and they were slowly loading John Morgan III into an ambulance,” Lang said. “They are going to take him to a local hospital. He was talking, he was able to move. I talked to Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek and he was told by the trainers that he was dealing kind of with his neck getting snapped back and he had tenderness and pain in the neck area.

“So precautionary protocol is to bring him to the hospital any time there is any kind of neck pain, but that it is at this point just precautionary because of the nature of where the pain and the injury occurred.”

John Morgan is in his first year with Arkansas after transferring from Pitt over the offseason. With the Panthers, he appeared in 12 games and made five starts last season. He totaled 19 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks as a redshirt senior. After the season, he entered the transfer portal and made his way to Arkansas.

Through four games this season entering Saturday’s game against Texas A&M, Morgan totaled four tackles and 2.0 sacks.

Arkansas went down the field on its next offensive possession and found the end zone for the first time. KJ Jefferson found Andrew Armstrong for a 48-yard touchdown pass to make it a 34-22 deficit with 3:53 to play. The Razorbacks’ only other touchdown came on a pick-six by Snaxx Armstrong on the first play the second half.