Multiple Concussions Ends Career Of West Virginia QB Clint Trickett

It’s always better to be safe than to be sorry when dealing with concussions.

West Virginia Metro News is reporting that West Virginia quarterback Clint Trickett will retire permanently from football because he has suffered five concussions within a period of 14 months. Trickett has admitted that two of those five concussions were unreported to West Virginia university medical staff.

Trickett spoke with reporters at the Memphis State School Field, as his West Virginia Mountaineers (7-5) prepare to play in this year’s Liberty Bowl against Texas A&M (7-5).

“I would love to be out there and finish the season with my guys,” he said. “But it would be dangerous to be out there and I probably wouldn’t be as effective.”

Trickett suffered his fifth concussion in a November 30 game against Kansas State, which the Wildcats won, 26-20. Trickett then sat out the Mountaineers final game of the regular season, beating Iowa State, 37-24.

Sophomore Mountaineers quarterback Skylar Howard will get his second start at the Liberty Bowl.

Trickett, a senior transfer from Florida State two years ago, finishes his West Virginia career with 4,890 yards with 25 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Questions still remain, however, about how Trickett kept two concussions from the West Virginia medical staff.

“In fairness to our training staff, they didn’t know,” he said. “I didn’t tell them, so that was on me. If they would’ve known they probably would’ve been more precautions about it. But I was trying to push through it.”

Trickett claims he still has symptoms from the concussion suffered on November 30 against Kansas State.

The Florida Times-Union is reporting that Mountaineers head coach Dana Holgorsen was informed recently that Trickett was not cleared to play in the Liberty Bowl due to lingering concussion issues. When Holgorsen told Trickett, Trickett went home to think about his future. Trickett decided to follow in “the family business,” and will go into coaching. Trickett is the son of Florida State offensive line coach Rick Trickett. Clint began his college career with Florida State, before transferring to West Virginia. His brother, Travis, is the offensive coordinator at Samford University.

“I know he’s going to be a hell of a coach one day,” Holgorsen said.

Until the concussion issue, Trickett had planned to finish his college career and then try to play in the Canadian Football League. Trickett was never considered an NFL-type quarterback.

“The more and more I think about,” he said, “what I’m getting into I probably need to have a couple brain cells left.”

Trickett completed 67.1 percent of his passes for 3,285 yards and 18 touchdowns with 10 interceptions this season.

“I would love to be out there and finish the season with my guys my last game,” Trickett said. “It’s unfortunate how it ended, but I had a great senior year.”

[Image courtesy of the Florida Times-Union]