FSU Director & HC Breaks Silence on Ethan Pritchard Tragedy as Teammates Send Prayers

For what seemed like a jubilant weekend for Florida State, the Tallahassee community was soon struck by a tragedy. Freshman linebacker Ethan Pritchard was shot in Havana, approximately 17 miles from Tallahassee, on Sunday night, while visiting family. He has been admitted to the intensive care unit of a local hospital. Meanwhile, the FSU community is holding strong in the face of adversity and prays for his recovery.

FSU Director Devin Rispress broke the silence and sent wishes for Pritchard’s health.“Prayers up for EP Ethan Pritchard.🙏🏿,” he wrote on X. Presently, as per the official statement from FSU, Pritchard is in ‘critical but stable condition. As per the Gadsden County Sheriff, Morris Young, via the Associated Press, the shooting occurred just before 10:00 p.m. Ethan Pridchard was inside his vehicle outside the apartments. After the officials arrived at the scene, they were able to get him out of the vehicle and transport him to a local hospital, as Captain Anglie Holmes stated.

Meanwhile, Mike Norvell prayed for his health as well. “Just want to first start off, just thoughts and prayers with Ethan Pritchard and his family,” Norvell said. “This is obviously an extremely just tragic event for the young man. I got a chance to be there last night with him and his dad and his family, and grateful for all the support and medical support he was able to receive.”

A four-star prospect from Seminole High School, the young linebacker dreamed big. In his junior year, he tallied 75 tackles, 11 for loss, and helped his team go into the playoffs. Although initially he started as a safety, but switched to linebacker. He was a three-star recruit and ranked No. 61 as a linebacker in the Class of 2025. Nationally, he secured the No. 555th spot.

Kicking off his collegiate career, he landed at Tallahassee, turning down offers from Florida, Miami, and UCF. Although he saw no action in the weekend’s iconic 31-17 victory over Alabama, he is an integral part of the Seminoles’ roster. Presently, the focus is on making sure he is fully recovered before he puts his cleats back on.

FSU reigns over powerhouse Alabama with a 31-17 win

The FSU-Alabama matchup did not churn out much traction until the Doak Campbell Stadium witnessed a major narrative shift. For Alabama, edging out the Seminoles was considered a cakewalk, but Thomas Castellanos-led offense claimed the trenches. It’s not as if it was a tight call, a one or two-point lead that got the Crimson Tide upset. But rather a 14-point lead, which crowned Florida State the champions. They defeated Bama 31-17.

Mike Norvell oozed with joy with his latest achievement. It was incredible, but once again, that’s Florida State. “It wasn’t about Alabama tonight, it was about us. It was about this team, the players that I get to coach, the work they poured into it. This game, it was a highly anticipated game. It was one that they are talented,” Norvell said.

The FSU-Alabama history dates back to 1965, and up till now, they have faced off against each other six times, including this weekend’s season-opener. Presently, the box-score tallies a 3-1-2 game streak. While Bama dominated the narrative for the bigger chunk of time, FSU has proved that they are reclaiming the turf.