Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
By Hunt Palmer
Should Saturday’s matchup between LSU and Southeastern Louisiana get out of hand, it could set up a truly remarkable comeback story that has nothing to do with the scoreboard.
Nine months ago, Colin Hurley was found unresponsive in his vehicle by authorities responding to a one-car collision. His road to recovery was long and arduous, but it could lead to his collegiate debut at quarterback Saturday night in Death Valley.
Hurley was immediately hospitalized and evaluated. The determination was that he had sustained a closed head wound and was put into a medically induced coma to stabilize him, sources told LouisianaSports.net.
Brian Kelly updated the media nearly three weeks after the January 16 accident.
“Because of his age, we’ve left a lot of that up to the family,” Kelly said. I’ve been there to see him on a number of occasions. Progress is real, he is back in Jacksonville, and reports in talking to his dad yesterday were really positive. Again, this is another scenario where there’s a recovery process for him. I think everybody’s optimistic.”
The three weeks leading up to that report were emotional for the family wrote ESPN’s Seth Wickersham who was with the family for years while writing his book “American Kings: The Biography of the Quarterback“.
“I think it was pretty clear early on that he was going to live,” Wickersham said on After Further Review with Matt Moscona on August 21. “That was a question at the immediate moment. But then the question was, what kind of life is he going to have? Is he ever going to play football again? What if he can’t? He did a remarkable job of retraining himself and his body to do the things that once came naturally. It’s great seeing him out there.”
Hurley missed all of LSU’s spring practices but was able to return to the team for the final weekend of spring workouts including the finale in Tiger Stadium.
Welcome back home @ColinHurley 💜 pic.twitter.com/apRQbegVn9
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) April 12, 2025
Hurley’s family released the following statement after his return.
Colin Hurley has made a full recovery and has rejoined the LSU football program. His return is not only a testament to his physical health, determination and commitment – but also the exceptional care and expertise of medical and sports performance professionals in Florida, as well as the unwavering and closely coordinated support of LSU’s medical, training, coaching, and academic staff, under the leadership of Head Coach Brian Kelly.
Colin and his family are grateful for the dedication, collaboration and support of everyone involved throughout this process. Now back with his team, his sole focus is on football and academics – working alongside his teammates and coaches to contribute to the success of the program.
His goal remains resolute – to bring a National Championship to Baton Rouge and to Graduate a Champion.
~ The Hurley Family
After a summer of reacclimating to football, Hurley competed with transfer Michael Van Buren for the backup quarterback spot behind Garrett Nussmeier.
Should he enter the game against Southeastern Louisiana, that story of overcoming the odds would dwarf his initially improbable journey as one of the youngest rostered players in Division 1 history at just 16-years-old when he enrolled at LSU.
“I was with (Hurley) in the ICU. I was with him in recovery,” Wickersham said. “Thankfully he’s recovered as a human which wasn’t clear that he would for a time. But he has recovered as a football player, and he’s out there doing what he loves with a new appreciation for it.”
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