Colorado State senior linebacker Deonte Clyburn could miss the remainder of the season with a blood clot condition, head coach Mike Bobo said after Saturday’s practice, the third of fall camp.
Clyburn, out of Louisville, Ky., had the issue discovered before spring practice and has been on medication ever since. He was recently tested and it came back negative, meaning he must remain on the medication. It also means he can have no contact, putting his football career on hold.
“It will be another three months before he gets tested again,” Bobo said. “The main thing is we want to keep him safe and healthy. You can’t put him out when he’s on the medication for a blood clot. Tough deal for him, because he is one of our true leaders on this football team, and guys really care about him. He’s got a great attitude. He knows he still has a role on his team and he’s embraced it.”
Clyburn, who was fourth on the team with 74 tackles last year after not serving as a starter until the seventh game, had grown into an emotional and vocal leader for the defense. He’s continued to work out, but for now, his role with the Rams is to help coach younger players.
He played as a true freshman and has appeared in all 39 games over the past three seasons. He still has a redshirt year, and while Bobo said he didn’t want to make a final determination on that, he felt that would probably be the route the team takes, even if Clyburn were to pass his test in three months. That test wouldn’t be conducted until the Rams are already eight games into this campaign.
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