FSU’s Sexton diagnosed with Lyme disease

By Hugo Guzman  |   Wednesday, July 13, 2005  |  Comments( 0 )

Florida State Seminoles
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Wyatt Sexton, the Florida State quarterback who was found disheveled and disoriented on a city street last month, has been diagnosed with Lyme disease and will miss the upcoming season, the university reported Saturday.

Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said the university would seek a sixth year of eligibility for Sexton, who has already used his redshirt season. He is the Seminoles' only experienced quarterback.

"It looks like Wyatt will need several months of treatment and will have to miss the season," Bowden said in a statement.

A specialist in the field of Lyme disease, Dr. S. Chandra Swami from Hermitage, Pa., said Sexton's organs have been infected and recommended intensive antibiotic therapy over a period of months.

"Wyatt has active Lyme Disease that has resulted in neuropsychiatric and cardiovascular deficits," Dr. Swami said.

The disease is curable, but the estimated recovery time for his advanced stage of infection is several months. If untreated, the disease can cause joint swelling and brain inflammation.

"We expect him to fully recover," Sexton's parents, Billy and Joy, said in a statement in the school's release. Billy Sexton is the running backs coach for the Seminoles.

The Seminoles will now choose between a pair of redshirt freshmen, Drew Weatherford and Xavier Lee, as the starting quarterback for their nationally televised season opener Sept. 5 against Miami. The team begins its preseason practice Aug. 9.

"It may come down to flipping a coin as to who starts the season," Bowden said.

In addition to Sexton, the Seminoles could also be without their two linebackers, Ernie Sims and A.J. Nicholson, for the Miami game because of recent run-ins with the law.

Florida State was 9-3 in 2004, but failed to win the Atlantic Coast Conference title for just the second time in 13 seasons, and wound up ranked 15th -- its fourth straight year outside the Top 10 in the final Associated Press poll.
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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