Oregon Receiver Quitting After Spinal Injury

Oregon wide receiver Kory Murphy has accepted the advice of his doctors and given up football after suffering a spinal injury in last Saturday’s loss in Hawaii.

Murphy was trying to catch a pass from Danny O’Neil when he was hit by Hawaii defensive backs Zach Odom and Marlon Smiley.

Murphy was motionless for several minutes before being taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was found to have a bruised spinal cord and compound dislocation of a finger on his left hand.

He returned to Eugene on Monday evening after spending two nights in the hospital and announced his decision to leave the game Tuesday night.

“I do love being a football player, but, obviously, the risk is a little bit too much,” Murphy, 21, said. “I love football, but I love life a whole lot more.”