Career of veteran TCU defensive tackle likely over due to undisclosed illness

TCU senior defensive tackle Joseph Broadnax playing days are likely over.

Coach Gary Patterson made the announcement during his Tuesday news conference, saying an undisclosed diagnosis will more likely than not end Broadnax’s football career.

“You’ve got no control over those things,” Patterson said.

The medical condition was discovered this summer when Broadnax underwent an MRI as part of a study TCU’s football program is involved with to assist in prevention and treatment of concussions.

Broadnax’s diagnosis happened during that study, but is not a concussion-related issue. Patterson couldn’t elaborate on the specifics, but said symptoms had surfaced in recent weeks that forced Broadnax to sit out last Saturday’s West Virginia game.

Patterson sounded as though the condition could have been life-threatening for Broadnax had it not been diagnosed in its early stages.

“As a young person, I think he’s going to have an opportunity to live a lot longer because they caught it,” Patterson said. “He started showing signs [before the West Virginia game], weakness in his arm and different things. It’s one of those things you just don’t have any control over. You feel badly.

“He’s starting to have some signs. Now you have to be smart and you’ve got to take care of it.”

Broadnax, a senior from Dallas Bryan Adams High, started all seven games he played this season. He had nine tackles, two quarterback hurries and a tackle for loss.

With Broadnax out, TCU is forced to fill the void with younger players such as redshirt freshmen Terrell Cooper and George Ellis III. The Frogs have also moved senior defensive end Michael Epley inside with the number of injuries.

The D-line sustained a significant blow in fall camp with the loss of projected starting nose tackle Ross Blacklock to an Achilles injury.

But Patterson has liked the growth of Cooper and Ellis throughout the season, and sophomore starter Corey Bethley has seen his playing time increase from about 25 snaps a game last season to close to 60 this season.

Patterson is optimistic about the D-line going forward, especially next season with Blacklock returning to the mix. He compared this season to the 2016 season as far as the D-line is concerned.

In 2016, TCU allowed 185.8 rushing yards a game before having the Big 12’s top-ranked rushing D in 2017 (103.9 rushing yards a game).

“That’ll be one of our strong positions next year, if we keep them healthy,” Patterson said.