Football

LSU defensive end Andre Anthony suffers season-ending injury, says 'God has a special plan'

By Joshua Doering Sep 21, 2021
LSU defensive end Andre Anthony against UCLA, Sept. 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Defensive end Andre Anthony came back for a sixth and final season at LSU hoping to build off a breakout 2020 campaign that saw him post a team-high 5.5 sacks. He was doing just that — until suffering a season-ending knee injury in Saturday’s 49-21 win over Central Michigan, bringing his college career to a premature end.

The New Orleans, Louisiana, native thanked the LSU community for their prayers and support in a pair of tweets on Sunday and Monday.

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“Thank you to everyone who has reached out, I really appreciate all the love and support,” Anthony said Sunday morning. “Please keep me in your prayers. It’s in God’s hands, praying and hoping for the best.” He ended the tweet by referencing Philippians 4:13 and Romans 8:28.

When he was officially ruled out for the season Monday, he posted a statement reflecting on his college career.

“My last six years as a Tiger were unforgettable,” Anthony wrote. “I’ll never forget the thrill-rushing moments and infectious energy the fans gave me every Saturday in Death Valley. In the words of my high school coach Brice Brown, ‘Adversity Builds Character,’ and I know God has a special plan he’s prepared for me during my time of healing.”

Anthony also referenced Psalms 30:5 in his caption for a video of head coach Ed Orgeron talking about Anthony’s contributions to the team and how much he will be missed:

“What an outstanding Tiger, outstanding leader,” Orgeron said. “We absolutely love him, he has a season-ending injury and it’s sad news. He was having a good season, he’s gonna be unavailable but he’s gonna be with us.”

One of the more memorable moments of Anthony’s LSU career came in the first quarter of Saturday’s game when he recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown.

Anthony joined the Tigers in 2016 and redshirted his first two seasons. He played in all 13 of the team’s games in 2018, recording 14 tackles and 0.5 sacks.

The following season, he saw action in nine games as the Tigers went 15-0 en route to winning the national championship. That set the stage for his breakout season in 2020. Anthony became one of the most important players on LSU’s defense, appearing in every game and registering 24 tackles to go with his team-high 5.5 sacks.

He had eight tackles, four tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in less than three full games this season before getting injured. Orgeron said Anthony will continue to be around the team even though he can no longer make an impact on the field.

LSU faces Mississippi State in its first conference game of the season on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET.

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