Oklahoma Announces Plans to Add Padding to Football Stadium’s Brick Wall Following Player Injury
Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Keontez Lewis suffered a headfirst collision with an exposed brick wall during a game against Kent State, prompting the university to plan the installation of padding around the area. The incident has raised safety concerns in college football.
The injury occurred in the first quarter of Saturday’s game as Lewis attempted to track a ball from quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. He found himself in the back of the end zone as he caught it but fell and crashed into the brick wall that lined the end zone of Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma.
Lewis was briefly motionless after the collision and was carted off the field for medical attention. He was attended to for about 10 minutes before being transported to the hospital. The Sooners went on to defeat Kent State 44-0 in the game.
Oklahoma confirmed plans to install padding around the brick wall on Tuesday. Coach Brent Venables noted that specifics, including the timing and extent of the padding, are not yet clear. "I don’t know exactly when or how much and all of that," he said. "But I think they’re going to put some padding around that brick area where we’re vulnerable."
Venables also shared an encouraging update on Lewis’ recovery during his weekly radio show. "I was terrified, because it didn’t look good at all," he said. "Really fortunate, all things considered — very fortunate. He’s in great spirits and feeling much better. Remarkably, really not even a scratch."
Lewis, who has 17 catches for 210 yards and two touchdowns this season, has not been ruled out for the remainder of the season. The incident has sparked a broader discussion about player safety in college football, particularly concerning the use of exposed brick walls in stadiums.