Coleman update: 'It's really tough to see'

AUBURN -- Still no word on the condition of Auburn junior defensive end Antonio Coleman, who was immobilized and taken from Jordan-Hare Stadium in an ambulance after the final play of Auburn's spring scrimmage Saturday.

He did not appear to move as he lie face-down on the field for 10-15 minutes, nor did he gesture as paramedics rolled him on a stretcher to the back of the ambulance.

Coleman was taken to East Alabama Regional Medical Center in Opelika.

"He doesn't have a lot of feeling right now, but it's starting to come back," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said immediately after the scrimmage.

He said Coleman was conscious and talking to team medical staff and paramedics.

"It was kinda like getting a stinger," Tuberville said. "You get froze up there for a while, but everything was coming back."

Coleman went down after battling sophomore left tackle Lee Ziemba on a pass play. Auburn offensive line coach Hugh Nall said he didn’t see what transpired between Ziemba and Coleman.
Nall signaled for Ziemba to leave the field immediately after the play.

"Any time something like that happens, you worry about the kid getting upset or whatever, so we just took him out," Nall said. "That's hard to deal with sometimes. That shook everybody up."

Apparently anticipating a new play, Nall called Andrew McCain onto the field.

As the nature of Coleman's injury became apparent, Auburn's coaching staff called the end of a 126-play scrimmage. Ziemba stood on the field with the rest of the offensive players, watching as paramedics tended to Coleman.

A trainer patted Ziemba on the back as Coleman was rolled to the ambulance. Ziemba did not speak to media after the scrimmage.

"It's really tough," Auburn offensive guard Byron Isom said. "It's really unfortunate. He's a strong guy. It's really tough to see."