Seminoles LB Pritchard Named to the Comeback POY Watch List
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He cheated
the grim reaper and has walked through the valley of the shadow of death, and
he feared no evil. The hard part is now over.
Now, he toils to reforge his body
into that of an unconquered warrior.
Florida
State linebacker Ethan Pritchard has willed his way back from a gunshot wound
to the head, to being able to take steps without the assistance of a walker. This
is the result of months of rehab and a strong sense of faith, and has led to
Pritchard being named to the Comeback Player of the Year watch list.
After
beating the Alabama Crimson Tide by two touchdowns in Week 1 last season, the
joyous celebration that followed was interrupted by tragedy. While traveling in
a moving vehicle, shots rang out, one striking Pritchard. Once his vital signs
stabilized at the hospital, he spent months in intensive care, followed by strenuous
rehab at a facility in Jacksonville.
Pritchard
continues to regain his strength on the weight pile in the football facility on
campus, a testament to his desire to be reborn as a football player in the
garnet and gold. A timetable for that return to the field is uncertain, but
Pritchard continues to make great progress in his recovery, and remains an
inspiration to his coaches and teammates, and a grateful fan base. As a result,
he was awarded the Doc Fauls Rise Above Adversity Award, and took steps on
stage with the aid of a walker to accept the award from coach Mike Norvell.
At
6-foot-2, 224 pounds as an incoming freshman last season, Pritchard was the No.
27 linebacker in the country by Rivals. He chose the Seminoles over Florida,
Miami and UCF. Pritchard joins receiver Duce Robinson, defensive back Ja’Bril Rawls,
running backs Ousmane Kromah and Quintrevion Wisner, punter Daniel Hughes and place
kicker Gabe Panikowski in representing Florida State by being honored with
preseason accolades.
While
Pritchard refused to be another statistic and began his journey in the gridiron
crucible, Norvell bolstered the linebacking corps by securing the services of
Chris Jones, a transfer linebacker from Southern Miss. Jones tackled everyone
in his path, including the water boy, to be ranked No. 7 in the nation with 10
stops per game. 135 tackles later, Jones found himself suited up for the
Seminoles, ready to carry on the legacy of what it means to be a linebacker at
Florida State.
Pritchard works
harder every day as a means to an end, to walk out the tunnel with his
teammates on Aug. 29 when the Seminoles host New Mexico State to kick off the
2026 season.
No doubt, the image of Pritchard of walking under his own power to
cheer on his teammates will unleash the war chant in a great vocal cataclysm not
heard within the great edifice that is Doak Campbell Stadium in quite some
time.
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