Tom Groeschen

tgroeschen@enquirer.com

Former University of Cincinnati football star Isaiah Pead lost part of a leg in his automobile accident last Saturday in Columbus, according to UC head coach Tommy Tuberville.

Tuberville, speaking on his weekly radio show on 700 WLW-AM Wednesday night at the Original Montgomery Inn, gave an update on Pead.

"It's devastating, because he lost part of his left leg," Tuberville said. "He'll never play again, obviously. It's just devastating."

Former UC running back Pead and former Bearcats defensive back Wesley Richardson were involved in a single-car accident Saturday morning in Columbus, the hometown of both players. Both men were hospitalized, Pead with critical injuries. Richardson had been listed in stable condition but has been released from the hospital, Tuberville said.

Drugs and alcohol were not suspected factors in the accident, according to the crash report.

TMZ obtained the record of the 911 call made after witnesses saw Pead’s car go off the highway. The woman making the call sounds frantic as she is clearly reacting to the serious nature of Pead’s accident, the report said.

The crash report says witnesses saw Pead driving down the highway at speeds of at least 90 miles per hour. The 26-year-old Pead was ejected from his vehicle, while the 27-year-old Richardson was not.

"You try to tell these kids to watch your speed or watch things," Tuberville said. "There was nothing involved other than speed, and he had a blowout. When you have a blowout, you can't control the car."

Pead played in the National Football League for the then-St. Louis Rams and Miami Dolphins. Jeff Fisher, coach of the now-Los Angeles Rams, told reporters Sunday that he had spoken with Pead's mother and that he was told Pead's playing career is over.

Pead is the third-leading rusher in UC history, with 3,288 yards from 2008-11, according to the UC football media guide.

Longtime UC football trainer Bob Mangine visited Pead in the hospital on Tuesday in Columbus. Mangine tweeted a photo of himself with Pead.

"Bob Mangine went to see him yesterday," Tuberville said. "In good spirits, was in a wheelchair, but obviously devastated about what happened. He's fighting hard, and hopefully we can get him back down this way and get him around the players, get his spirits back up pretty soon."

Tuberville arrived at UC before the 2013 season and thus did not coach Pead, but the coach knows the former Bearcats standout.

"Heck of a football player," Tuberville said. "I've gotten to know him quite well. He'd come to the office and work out with our players. I actually worked out with him one day, or tried to, tried to stay up with him. Great kid."

UC seniors still striving for bowl game

Pead played football at Columbus Eastmoor High School, then UC, and in the NFL most notably with the Rams, who drafted Pead in the second round in 2012. Pead became a free agent after he recently was released by the Dolphins. Pead worked out for the Kansas City Chiefs last week, according to NBCSports.com.

Pead played sparingly while in the NFL, with 27 career rushes for 100 yards and no touchdowns. Pead caught 15 career passes, also for 100 yards, with no touchdowns.

Pead returned to Cincinnati on Sept. 29 with the Dolphins, who lost 22-7 to the Bengals in a Thursday night game. In the game, Pead rushed three times for 5 yards and caught one pass for 6 yards.