Stephen F. Austin junior tight end and captain Gerard Edimo had his 2026 college football end prematurely due to injury on Saturday.
Lumberjacks football head coach Colby Carthel updated Edimo’s injury status on Monday, delivering even worse news that Edimo may not ever play football again.
Edimo went down with a left leg injury in the first quarter of an eventual 31-10 win over Prairie View A&M; junior defensive back Eric Zachery went low to tackle the 6-foot-5 Edimo, and Zachery then appeared to twist the tight end’s injured leg after he was on the ground.
In a meeting with reporters on Monday, Carthel was emotional about the play that seriously injured one of his team captains. Zachery also appeared to mock Edimo’s injury after the tackle by slowly dragging his own leg while he returned to the Prairie View A&M sideline.
The Stephen F. Austin coach called the actions from the Prairie View A&M defender among the dirtiest plays he has seen in 27 years coaching.
“I’ve coached 27 years of college football,” Carthel said. “That’s the second-dirtiest, most unsportsmanlike play I’ve seen in my career.
“Absolutely no business in this game for a play like that. Disgusting. It’s pathetic, and, you know, Gerard Edimo’s a great kid. Hope my son grows up to be like Gerard Edimo.”
Edimo, a former three-star recruit out of Stony Point High School in Round Rock, Texas, transferred to Stephen F. Austin in 2024 after beginning his college football career in Florida at USF. He was one of 14 Lumberjacks players voted by his teammates to serve as a captain this season.
“He made a routine play, got his leg near yanked off the bone,” Carthel added about Edimo’s injury. “Probably ended his career.”
“He’s got two years (of eligibility) left, and he’ll probably never play another snap of football because of a dirty, unsportsmanlike play that the young man got up and then made fun of him as he walked off. Disgusting. Pathetic,” Carthel added.
The Stephen F. Austin coach said the program forwarded the controversial play to the NCAA and its Southland Conference for potential discipline upon review. Prairie View A&M, a HBCU, competes as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
“I hate it for Gerard. I hate it for our team. I hate it for our sport,” Carthel said. “Happened right in front of our bench. Kudos to our team for holding things together, that it wasn’t an all-out brawl, and we were able to finish the game without incident.
“But (the play) was embarrassing. Happened right in front of an official, no call. Another official walks the kid off as he’s making fun of our player suffering a major injury. Disgusting.”
Prairie View A&M head coach Tremaine Jackson released a statement on Tuesday about the play involving Zachery and Edimo.
“It’s unfortunate that an injury took place and our prayers are with Gerard Edimo and his family. We pray for a speedy recovery and a successful return,” Jackson wrote.
“Eric Zachery is not only a good player, he is a good person, great student and one of the best people in our program!! We will not allow anyone to attack him or his character because of a play in a game.
“I haven’t received a call from anyone pertaining to this play, nor did anyone say anything to me after the game. Don’t get on the internet and attack any of my kids!! We coach them the right way and they play the right way!! Everyone has my number, and knows how to reach me if there’s a problem.”
Stephen F. Austin is off to a 4-0 start this season after last Saturday’s win, and it will host Northeastern State this week.
Prairie View A&M is 1-3, although it defeated Texas Southern 52-14 on Sept. 6 in its only SWAC game of the season thus far. The Panthers face Grambling State this week in the State Fair Classic, which will be played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
