Northwestern RB Jeremy Larkin Retires After Cervical Stenosis Diagnosis

Northwestern Wildcats running back Jeremy Larkin retired from playing football after doctors diagnosed him with cervical stenosis, the school announced Monday.

"Football has been a lifelong passion, and it has been a process to reconcile the fact I won't be on that field again, given I've played this game since I was five years old," Larkin said of his decision. "I'm extremely appreciative of the Northwestern sports medicine and athletic training staffs for uncovering this condition and for my coaches and the medical staff for always putting my health first."

As a redshirt freshman in 2017, Larkin ran for 503 yards and five touchdowns while catching 11 passes for 115 yards.

With the graduation of leading rusher Justin Jackson, Larkin played a starring role in Northwestern's backfield through the first three games in 2018. His 346 rushing yards are fifth in the Big Ten, and he's tied for second in rushing touchdowns (five).

According to the Chicago Tribune's Teddy Greenstein, Larkin "had experienced numbness and tingling into his arms," which led him to undergo testing earlier this season. The results were inconclusive before he had further tests, which revealed the full diagnosis.

Larkin informed his teammates of the news Monday.

Junior running back John Moten IV has logged 12 carries, second-most on the team, so he'll likely be the Wildcats' starter heading into their Week 5 matchup with the No. 14 Michigan Wolverines on Saturday. Greenstein wrote that true freshmen Isaiah Bowser and Drake Anderson could eventually take over the duties of the primary ball-carrier deeper into the season.