Lucky's condition described as "stable"
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BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
Nebraska sophomore I-back Marlon Lucky was in the intensive care unit at BryanLGH Medical Center West on Monday, but a teammate said his condition has improved.
The exact nature of Lucky’s ailment wasn’t immediately available.
According to deputy Lincoln fire chief Pat Borer, fire and rescue units were sent to 721 Lakeside Drive, Lucky’s apartment near Capitol Beach, at 8 p.m. Sunday to respond to an urgent medical emergency. A Lincoln Police Department spokesman confirmed the emergency involved Lucky. The player was transported to the hospital.
A press release from the Nebraska athletic department said Lucky was hospitalized “for undisclosed medical reasons.”
“There will be no further comment from the athletic department or the family at this time,” the university statement said. “The athletic department asks that you respect the privacy of Marlon and his family.”
Jordan Picou, Lucky’s roommate and a junior defensive tackle for NU, said Lucky was in critical but stable condition late Monday afternoon and that family members were with him at the hospital.
“He’s fine right now,” Picou said. “He’s doing a lot better right now than he was.”
Picou, however, declined to provide further details out of respect for the family, saying, “I can’t speculate right now. The best thing I can tell you is to call coach (Tim) Cassidy and coach (Bill) Callahan.”
Lucky, a native of North Hollywood, Calif., finished the 2006 season as Nebraska’s second-leading rusher with 728 yards (5.2 per carry). He also caught 32 passes for 383 yards.
A backup for most of the season, Lucky started against Auburn in the Jan. 1 Cotton Bowl and carried 25 times for 88 yards and caught six passes for 67 yards. He received the majority of practice repetitions throughout December as regular starter Brandon Jackson recovered from a broken hand suffered in the Dec. 2 Big 12 Championship Game.
Perhaps the most high-profile player in Nebraska’s heralded 2005 recruiting class, the 6-foot, 210-pound Lucky rushed for 129 yards on 43 carries as a true freshman in 2005.
Lucky has had a somewhat rocky college career. He considered transferring at the end of the 2006 season, his former high school coach, Brad Ratcliffe, said last month. Lucky decided to stay after a meeting with Callahan.
Lucky’s guardian, Wayne Padden of Los Angeles, said last month the I-back was looking forward to the 2007 season.
“His future is laid out in front of him,” Padden said at the time.
Reached Monday afternoon, Stanley Joseph, the player’s uncle, said he was boarding a flight and didn’t have time to talk. Neither Padden nor Joseph returned later calls.
Lucky felt frustration this past season in part because of a back injury suffered midway through the season, Ratcliffe said last month.
What’s more, Lucky was troubled when Nebraska assistant coach John Blake took a similar position at North Carolina as the Huskers prepared for the Cotton Bowl. Blake recruited Lucky out of North Hollywood High School.
“Coach Blake was kind of like a security blanket for Marlon,” Ratcliffe said at the time.
Blake said Monday from Lincoln he didn’t know details of Lucky’s hospitalization. Blake was reached as he headed to the hospital.
Hilary Kindschuh contributed to this report.
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
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