As America continues to grapple with the effects of COVID-19, the 2020 fall college football season remains in doubt as players and even entire conferences have opted out. Unfortunately for Georgia State freshman quarterback Mikele Colasurdo, the virus has made that decision for him.

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He announced on Thursday that he was diagnosed with an unspecified heart condition as a result of his bout with COVID-19 and will miss the upcoming season. Georgia State said it could not comment on individual student-athletes, but a handful of professional and collegiate athletes have spoken out about Myocarditis and other heart issues stemming from COVID-19.

https://twitter.com/mikelecolasurdo/status/1296456027509002240

“I am very thankful for everyone who has reached out and prayed for me,” he wrote on Twitter. “… Ultimately it was the procedures and tests set forth by GSU that allowed the doctors to find this condition in my heart and help keep me safe. I am very thankful. I can’t wait to watch my team compete this fall and I could not be more excited to return for the 2021 season! Go Panthers!”

Colasurdo’s tweet references the Bible verse 1 Corinthians 2:5, which says, “so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”

The quarterback calls himself a believer on Twitter and says, “Jesus, personally precious, globally known” on his Instagram page. A previous post of his mentions that he plays for an audience of One — God alone.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2xjmBVBHA3/

Colasurdo — a former three-star recruit, South Carolina 3A state champion and South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year — amassed 36 passing touchdowns, 15 rushing touchdowns and more than 3,000 passing yards as a senior at Chapman High School. He enrolled at Georgia State in Atlanta for the Spring 2020 semester and was expected to compete for the open starting quarterback position.

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