With Everything That Happened This Season, These ISU Football Players Needed One Another
With Everything That Happened This Season, These ISU Football Players Needed One Another: There is no rulebook for dealing with tragedy. Nobody knows what to do when a friend or family member dies, if there even is an answer.
Indiana State football players faced the media on Monday mourning the deaths of their teammates Caleb VanHooser, Christian Eubanks and Jayden Musili. The three members of the football team all died in a car accident on August 21st. Omarion Dixon and John Moore suffered serious injuries and remain hospitalized today.
With the support of each other, the team faced the tragedy by providing support for one another. Captain and veteran wide receiver, Dante Hendrix, provided a window into some of the things that the team did to help themselves after the tragedy.
It took a while for the team to rebuild, but the freshmen have been hit hard. Haha noted that he went out with the freshmen after Eubanks and VanHooser were both killed in the crash. All of the captains noted that it’s been the freshmen who have been harder hit – they don’t remember losing two first-year players.
For those captains like Hendrix, the mantle of responsibility is heavy. We had to be there for those younger guys, we had to be a helping hand while they tried to cope with what happened and come back. We’re starting to see guys come back and be themselves again,” Reid said.
Hendrix, who recently dealt with the death of an active duty soldier, admitted it’s not easy. I’m very shaken up by loss and it’s even harder when you have to lead in a time of such tragic loss. It was unclear what was the right thing to say or do-talking to your brothers didn’t seem like enough. He can figure out how best to support his teammates and ultimately find peace within himself.
The Iowa State football team noted that returning to practices has definitely helped. Iowa State coach Curt Mallory made the decision to resume practices last Tuesday 48 hours after the accident on campus occurred. Hendrix noted that a new normal is now in place, as well as football providing an escape from sorrow.
Hendrix understands that returning to football can help people in healing. Not only did Hendrix get on the field, but he was able to see his teammates, which led to a great mental and physical healing process for him. What’s unfortunate, is that he missed his brothers playing on the field with him.
Thursday’s game against North Alabama at Memorial Stadium provides another opportunity for the players to deal with their loss. It will also serve as a reminder of what has been lost as the team honors their fallen teammates on a large number of fans in attendance.
The Iowa State Basketball team wears pins with letters on their jerseys to honor the lives lost in the accident. They said they are ready to challenge for a Big 12 Conference Championship, as well as represent those who died.
With a lackluster performance at the quarterback position in their last game, Mallory officially announced Gavin Screws as their starting quarterback for Thursday night’s contest against North Alabama.
He said that Screws might be the guy, when he spoke to the Tribune Star last week. Screws, a junior college transfer in by way of FBS Troy, spent spring with the Sycamores, and once this happened, his learning curve flattened significantly. He had some head-to-head competition with Colorado State transfer Evan Olaes and Cade Chambers who played briefly in 2021.
Mallory said that Gavin made the decision. He was in our system in the spring, Mallory said. As Olaes played catch-up with his development during preseason camp, he improved quickly.
With training typically unavailable during the summer, Evan didn’t have full-time access to Olaes throughout the year. Evan has proven his worth as both a starter and backup as well. The hope is that Mallory can eventually be a reliable option at quarterback as well.