Joe Blackwell stopped himself near mid-sentence. “I hate to use my health (as an excuse) because of Urban Meyer,” he said referencing the head football coach of the Florida Gators, who made national headlines recently by announcing he was stepping away due to health problems only to not step away at all. The newly former offensive line coach and offensive coordinator of the South Carolina State Bulldogs was doing his best Wednesday to explain why he is no longer a member of the team’s coaching staff. Health was a key factor in making the decision.
“I’m at the point, I’m 40, and I missed some time last spring with a heart catheterization,” he said. “The spring before that, I missed some time during recruiting with some health issues.” A look at the family tree dictates maybe it is time to take a step back. “My father died of a heart attack when he was 47,” Blackwell said. “My grandfather died when he was 39. We have five generations that haven’t lived past 47.”
Needless to say, Blackwell has a good cardiologist on call. But, the man who called the plays for an offense that ranked first in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in scoring (30.4 ppg) and second total offense (365.8 ypg) a season ago, didn’t step away just because of his health. Blackwell said he is not a “money guy.” But, he stepped away, in part, because of money.
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