Brain Condition Forces SDSU’s Norberg to Sideline

The San Diego State football team has lost freshman offensive lineman Adam Norberg because of a congenital arterial problem in his brain, Coach Al Luginbill said Tuesday.

“Right now, the diagnosis is that he will not be allowed to play football,” Luginbill said.

Norberg, a 6-foot-3, 240-pounder from Helix High, will miss spring practice and will probably not play again, although Trainer Brian Barry said the Aztecs plan to do some follow-up tests in several weeks.

Norberg was part of SDSU’s 1991 recruiting class but didn’t enter the university until January, 1992. He would have played center and guard at SDSU.

“We felt he was a fine prospect, but we thank the good Lord it happened the way it did,” said Luginbill, who only learned of Norberg’s condition last week. “It could have been much worse.”

In addition, Luginbill said, defensive lineman Ramondo Stallings probably will miss spring drills because of a nerve injury in his shoulder and that reserve defensive back Steve Rudisill will transfer to a Division II school next year.

Stallings, a 6-7, 280-pound defensive lineman, will find out after a meeting with SDSU team doctor Robert Straumfjord today whether he can participate in spring drills. Luginbill, though, said he didn’t plan to have Stallings at all this spring.

Stallings suffered brachial plexus, according to Barry--an injury to the branch of nerves running out of the neck.

As for Rudisill, who played sparingly in 1991, Luginbill said he wanted to play more.