Buster Sports

Stafon Johnson, USC's star running back, suffered a horrific injury in the weight room today, according to an ESPN report on the television. Shelley Smith reported that Johnson was working out with bar weights (presumably bench pressing) and the weight and bar he was using fell on his neck.

Reportedly, Johnson was coughing up blood out of his mouth and nose and that he was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.

Johnson is apparently -- at least according to USC staff members -- okay, but is undergoing surgery.

"It was an unfortunate accident and Stafon is getting great care right now," Coach Pete Carroll said. "We don't have a lot of information at this point and we'll keep everyone updated, but our thoughts and prayers are with Stafon."

Head strength and conditioning coach Chris Carlisle, who was within 10 feet of the incident, said he was shocked something like this could happen.

"I've seen players have the bar slip and fall onto their chest, but never in my 25 years of coaching have I heard of someone dropping a bar on their throat," Carlisle said. "We're fortunate he was being spotted."

From a pure football perspective, because we have to do it, this is highly problematic for USC -- Joe McKnight is a stud, clearly, but Johnson's red zone presence helped USC put points on the board and losing him for the season (this sort of injury would seem to be, ahem, lingering) or even several games, would be a devastating blow to Pete Carrol's squad.

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