USC Star Stafon Johnson Has Long Recovery Ahead

LOS ANGELES -- USC running back Stafon Johnsonis expected to make a full recovery after a serious weightlifting accident, but he has a very long road ahead of him.Johnson is communicating with family and teammates through writing and thumbs up signs after more than seven hours of emergency surgery to repair a crushed neck and larynx, doctors said Tuesday.The senior from Dorsey High was bench-pressing around 11 a.m. Monday in the Heritage Hall weight room when the bar slipped from his right hand and fell onto his throat.He was spitting up blood and was taken by ambulance to the hospital, according to the USC website.The lengthy specialized surgery was required because of a threatened airway and severe injuries to Johnson's larynx, according to Dr. Gordon Hinika, the trauma medical director at California Hospital Medical Center.Johnson is on a breathing tube and a feeding tube, but doctors say his physical condition helped him survive."His neck was so solid and so muscular, that actually helped maintain his airway, and the discipline that one learns from being athletic also really helped him to calm down and just do what he needed to do. He took instruction very well," said Hinika.It is unlikely Johnson will play again this season, but doctors are expecting a full recovery, Hinika said."It was an unfortunate accident and Stafon is getting great care right now," coach Pete Carroll said.The bar "hit him with a lot of force and it hurt him," Carroll said."No broken bones as far as I understand, but he's got some damage in there somewhere, and they're working it out, trying to figure out what it is," Carroll said shortly after the accident. "It is serious."Head strength and conditioning coach Chris Carlisle says an accident like this is rare."I've seen players have the bar slip and fall onto their chest, but never in my 25 years of coaching have I heard of someone dropping a bar on their throat," the coach said.Carlisle, who was within feet of Johnson when the accident occurred, said an assistant strength and conditioning coach was acting as a "spotter" for the player."We're fortunate he was being spotted."The 5-foot-11, 210-pound player is the Trojans' second-leading rusher and goal-line specialist.He's rushed 32 times for 157 yards this year and leads the team with five touchdowns, including the Trojans' go-ahead touchdown against Ohio State two weeks ago.He entered the season with 1,395 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.---On the Web: http://www.usctrojans.com/blog/