UTSA coach Jeff Traylor knew only that the start of the game was being delayed, so he didn't have much to share with the players.
The Roadrunners returned to the locker room following pregame warmups with about 20 minutes left before kickoff, remaining unaware of the tragic scene that unfolded near midfield a few moments later.
A military service member was carted from the Alamodome on a stretcher after falling from the rafters during a pregame skills demonstration. Four officers were set to rappel to the field ahead of the coin toss for UTSA's annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans game Saturday against Navy, and one appeared to slide down in an uncontrolled manner, crashing to the ground. The officer was transported to an area hospital, per a UTSA spokesperson, and no further update on his condition was available Saturday night.
Traylor and the Roadrunners waited in the locker room while the service member was treated by medical personnel on the field, and UTSA kicked off its 38-34 win against Navy at 7:10 p.m. - about 10 minutes later than scheduled.
"The only information I had was there had been an incident, and the game was going to be delayed, and we didn't expand upon it any further than that," Traylor said. "I didn't know if I did the right thing or not. I didn't know anything. I didn't know what to tell them, so that's how I handled it."
The rappel team was from Detachment 2 of the 6th Combat Training Squadron. The Air Force unit trains tactical air controllers and operates from the Chapman Training Annex at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and from Camp Bullis, an Army training camp in northern Bexar County.
UTSA staff formed a semicircle around the motionless officer for about 10 minutes as medical personnel attended to the man, who was wearing combat fatigues.
"What I heard that happened is heartbreaking, but I want to give the family time," Traylor said. "They're in our prayers. It's tragic."
UTSA linebacker Darion White said he wasn't aware of the circumstances as the Roadrunners took the field, notified only that kickoff was being delayed.
"I'm so sad. We just heard the news," White said after the game. "Prayers to that family. That is a tragic thing. So just prayers to the family and everyone that had a part in that situation."
UTSA quarterback Owen McCown quickly moved past the first question of his postgame press conference, choosing instead to comment on the emergency.
"Just thinking thoughts and prayers with that family," McCown said. "I know we said a prayer postgame, but they'll continue being our thoughts and prayers, and really thinking about them."
Traylor said the Roadrunners "could just tell the energy was gone" when they ran onto the field, finding a crowd that was still in shock.
As the matchup against Navy unfolded, McCown said the Roadrunners were eventually "able to just go out there and play the game."
"It's hard. I just think as players too, my thoughts go immediately with the family," McCown said. "It's obviously bigger than football. And then as just the game went on, kind of got the ebbs and flows, and getting back to playing football. And I thought at first, it was hard to get around, and then finally got going again."
White said he sensed the difference, too.
"We could kind of feel it," White said. "To see that, it's a very traumatic experience, so I know it was going to take a little time for the fans and the team to get that swagger back, but we got it."
The announced crowd of 23,297 found more energy as the game unfolded, and Traylor said the atmosphere on the field "got rowdy" during the fourth quarter. UTSA and Navy exchanged four lead changes through the final period before the Roadrunners won 38-34, ending a night that was unlike any other in Traylor's coaching career.
"I've never had to do anything like that before, so it just puts things into perspective. It really does," Traylor said. "It's tough. I can't imagine. Fans, everybody that was out there, I can't imagine."
Subscribe
There’s more to San Antonio with the Express-News. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at 'Bigger than football': UTSA reflects on pregame tragedy.