Eric LeGrand of Rutgers Paralyzed: Is It Time for NCAA to Do More About Safety?

Dead silence.

As Eric LeGrand lay motionless on the field of New Meadowlands Stadium with 5:10 to play in the fourth quarter, the entire crowd held its collective breath.

LeGrand collapsed on the ground after making a violent tackle on Army's Malcolm Brown on a kickoff return.

The junior from Rutgers was on the turf for at least five minutes while being tended to by the Rutgers medical staff. Coaches and players watched in shock as their fellow player was carted off the field.

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano told reporters Sunday that LeGrand was in the intensive care unit at Hackensack University Medical Center after emergency surgery to stabilize his spine.

The occurrence of violent hits has become all too common at both the professional and college levels. Recently, both the NFL and NCAA have attempted to take action in order to limit head-to-head hits and promote safety amongst players.

Earlier this season, Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman was suspended one game for his helmet-to-helmet hit in a game against Illinois.

While league officials have attempted to curb the serious injuries that occur during these games, it will never be enough to completely stop the flow of injuries. Football, by nature, is a violent game that, despite numerous safety precautions, will always pose a risk to the players.

Dave Parry, the national coordinator of officials for the NCAA, discussed player safety on violent hits earlier this season. While talking about a new rule that mandates a post-game video review after dangerous fouls have been committed, Parry stated, "The message is clear that we don't want these vicious hits to the head that can lead to serious injury, and kids who dip their head and go in like a spear can be injured just as badly (as the player who gets hit)."

Technology will help. Better helmets, enhanced pads and improved protective equipment can all help prevent injury.

Rules such as the new NCAA one that endeavors to seriously curb violent hits will also aid in the efforts to reduce the number and severity of serious injuries.

However, the best way to combat the influx of violent injuries falls to the coaches. Coaches need to talk to the players about the importance of not only maintaining their own safety, but also looking out for the safety of others.

Certainly this is a difficult task, as no coach wants to cap his players' intensity during a game. On the other hand, injuries to players such as Eric LeGrand will continue to plague both the collegiate and professional levels.

Creative technology and new NCAA rules can help, but it will simply not be enough to stop the violent, career-ending injuries that occur every year. Coaches need to preach the importance and absolute necessity of player safety on the field. Until then, the dead silence such as the one in New Meadowlands Stadium on Saturday night will continue to be present in the world of football.