Former Lowell star Jeff Barker, a sophomore at Ball State, found out on Tuesday his football career is over after tearing a ligament in his neck. Two weeks ago when the Cardinals were playing Northern Illinois, he was on the kickoff return team when he was hit and his head was driven into the ground. He originally thought it was just a sprain.

"I walked off the field on my own," Barker said from the sidelines during his former team's Class 4A northern semistate game against Fort Wayne Dwenger. "I have to look at all the good things that football gave me. It could've been worse. I could've ended up paralyzed. I'm thankful that I'm still walking."

Barker played on Lowell's 2005 state championship team and the Red Devils' 2007 state runner-up team before graduating in 2008. He plans on continuing his major in criminal justice so he can become a police officer.

But he's still a Red Devil in his heart.

"I'm pulling for these guys," Barker said in the first half. "I know they can win this." -- Steve Hanlon