LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas Tech linebacker Bryce Ramirez is back in Texas five days after breaking his left leg in a gruesome injury suffered during a game at North Carolina State.
Ramirez returned to Lubbock on Thursday, greeted at the airport by coach Joey McGuire and others as he was wheeled into the terminal two days before the Red Raiders face rival Texas in their Big 12 opener at home.
The fourth-year junior’s week in Raleigh, North Carolina, included a hospital visit from NC State coach Dave Doeren and members of his staff. Ramirez received a big get-well card. He tweeted a photo while thanking Doeren and his program.
Doeren said Thursday it was “just the right thing to do.” Ramirez underwent two surgeries on the broken leg while in North Carolina.
“If my son was in the same situation in another city, I would hope someone would do that for my son,” Doeren said.
McGuire met with reporters Monday just after getting off the phone with Ramirez.
“You could see the smile in his voice just because he’s got a great smile,” McGuire said. “It’s funny. He said, ‘What’s next? It’s Texas week. Let’s go. Tell everybody 24 hours is up.'”
Ramirez fractured his lower left leg in the first half of Saturday night’s 27-14 loss when he tackled Wolfpack running back Jordan Houston. The pile rolled over Ramirez’s leg, which was planted in the turf. It bent below the knee and was twisted abnormally as he lay on the grass.
Trainers covered the leg with a towel when they began treating him, and ESPN chose not to show a replay of the injury. The game was stopped for roughly 10 minutes before Ramirez was put on a motorized cart and transported to a hospital.
Ramirez was one of four Texas Tech players awarded scholarships before the season after appearing mostly on special teams in his first action as a redshirt sophomore last year. He played high school football in the Houston area.
McGuire said no family members were at the game, but Ramirez’s mom and dad traveled to see him in the hospital. A Texas Tech athletic trainer stayed back with Ramirez. The school said it was paying the family’s expenses in accordance with NCAA rules.