Trey Buice sprinted from Western Kentucky University's health center, across Avenue of Champions, to Smith Stadium until he heard news that stopped him in his tracks.
The doctors told him he had a broken left hand. It required surgery. He had to watch the rest of the game from the sidelines.
"It kind of hurt when they told me I wasn't going to be able to play," Buice said. "I was down, but my teammates picked me back up and said, 'Even though you're hurt, you've got to keep fighting. We need you. You've got to be the biggest cheerleader there is.'"
For any senior, missed playing time is a tough pill to swallow. Buice started Saturday against Eastern Michigan University, but not knowing the extent of his injury - or how much time it would keep him on the sidelines - was an uneasy feeling.
Buice took the role to heart. He jumped and ran along the sidelines, cheering for the Ball State University defense. He helped lead the fight song after the Cardinals' 24-7 win, pumping his fist as he shouted, "Fight team fight for Ball State."
Brandon Crawford, Ball State's defensive captain, said having Buice on the sidelines was a big lift for him and his defensive teammates.
"It's a great feeling for me, for him to have that injury, and for him not to let that get him down," Crawford said. "He was still on the sidelines, still pushing us at the Western Kentucky game. He never got down on himself. He had a positive attitude and just thought, 'How am I going to get back out on the field.'"
Buice's role as designated cheerleader was short-lived.
He was sprinting again two weeks later - from the Eagles' 45-yard line, cradling the football with his left hand, dodging offensive-players-turned-defenders until he dove into the endzone. Buice's 45-yard interception return for a touchdown pushed Ball State's lead to 38-13 midway through the fourth quarter.
"That happened at a critical time in the game," coach Brady Hoke said. "It really helped to push things a little bit over the top."
Crawford said he wasn't surprised Buice quickly recovered from his injury. Playing through bumps and breaks is part of being a football player.
But it's not easy for a cornerback to be effective with a broken hand.
"That's his position - his hands," Crawford said. "His hands are vital to knock that pass down or intercept that ball. I've got great respect and admiration for him to be able to play with that injury."
Buice's left hand is still swollen. It shows the scar from a two-inch, v-shaped incision where doctors placed screws in his hand. But Buice said the hand doesn't give him any pain, and he's ready to play the rest of the season.
It's a good thing, too, because Crawford said the Cardinals defense will need their starting cornerback. Instead of cheering from the sidelines, Crawford said, Buice will be counted on to make more big plays on the field.
"We trust in him and depend on him to do what he does because he has the talent to make plays," Crawford said. "It's just up to him to carry it out, and he's been able to do that on a weekly basis."
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