November 17, 1998
By TIM WHITMIRE
AP Sports Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – The buildup to one of Kentucky’s biggest footballgames in recent years was put on hold as players coped with a fatal truckcrash.
It was a roller coaster weekend for the Wildcats: a big win Saturday overVanderbilt, followed by the deadly accident Sunday. Monday found players andcoaches struggling to deal with the loss and begin preparing for Saturday’sgame at No. 1 Tennessee.
Among the hardest hit was quarterback Tim Couch, whose best friend waskilled in the crash. Also killed was transfer defensive lineman Arthur”Artie” Steinmetz. Starting center Jason Watts was seriously injured.
A team meeting Monday began with players sitting in total silence, seniorsafety Jeff Zurcher said.
“I’ve never been in there with 100 other guys, especially football players,and had it be that quiet,” he said.
“A period of brokenness and humility is good, is part of the healingprocess,” Zurcher said. “I know guys were crying. I shed tears. There’snothing wrong with that.”
Couch turned down an invitation to accompany Watts, Steinmetz and his friendScott Brock on their deer hunting trip. He broke down in tears as he talkedabout Brock.
“Being a football player, you think you’ve been through a lot of toughthings, losing games in the last seconds, taking big hits,” he said. “Youthink you’re a tough person until you have to deal with going in and seeingyour best friend’s parents after he’s just passed away.”
Brock, a student at Eastern Kentucky University, died along with Steinmetzwhen Watts’ pickup truck went out of control and flipped over on U.S. 27, about10 miles north of Somerset.
Watts, who was driving, was thrown from the vehicle with the other two. Heseverely cut his right arm. The three were headed to a farm near Somerset whenthe accident happened just before 7 a.m. EST Sunday.
None was wearing a seat belt.
The cause of the crash is being investigated, and Pulaski County Sheriff SamCatron has said speed may have been involved. Routine blood samples taken fromWatts at the hospital are being tested for alcohol by the state police.
Watts was in fair condition Monday at Lexington’s University of KentuckyMedical Center, where he underwent a preliminary operation to clean the wound,which stretched from his elbow to his wrist. The hospital said Dr. JamesLovett, a plastic surgeon, removed glass, rocks, dirt and dead tissue from thelaceration, repaired some tendons and closed the wound.
The crash occurred hours after Kentucky (7-3) celebrated Senior Day atCommonwealth Stadium with a 55-17 win over Vanderbilt. Watts was among theseniors honored in a pregame ceremony.
Couch said he visited the injured Watts.
“I just told him I’m not blaming him,” Couch said. “I think he listenedto me.”
Coach Hal Mumme cancelled practice Monday. He and Mike Breaux, a minister atSouthland Christian Church, one of Lexington’s largest congregations, met withplayers in what they described as an emotional meeting.
“It was a precious time for the team,” said punter Jimmy Carter, aspiritual leader on the team. “Some of the guys were crying. We all got downas a team and prayed.”
Before the meeting, Mumme said he planned to tell the players “that God hasa plan for everybody’s life, and some plans are shorter than others.”
“I think it only serves to point out for all of us that we’re only onebrief heartbeat away from eternity ourselves, and nobody really can say whenthat time is.” Mumme said.
Brock’s funeral was scheduled for Wednesday at 1 p.m. at ThousandsticksUnited Methodist Church, near his hometown of Hyden in eastern Kentucky. Afuneral Mass for Steinmetz was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the St.Pius Church in Edgewood, in northern Kentucky.
Mumme said some players would attend services for Brock, while plans werebeing made for the entire team to attend those for Steinmetz, a defensivelineman who transferred from Michigan State in August and was practicing withthe scout team while he sat out the season.
Steinmetz had been expected to replace senior defensive tackle Mark Jacobsnext year.
“Artie was a guy who was just a delight,” Mumme said. “He never failed tohave a humorous comment to me when I passed him in the hall.”
Brock grew up with Couch in Hyden, and was a running back and receiver atLeslie County High School when his friend set national high school passingrecords there.
“He was someone I spent every waking hour with,” Couch said. “Me andScott were as close as brothers.”
Couch said Brock lobbied him to go to Kentucky and not Tennessee when Couchwas being recruited out of high school. The quarterback said that even though”football seems the furthest thing from my mind right now” he would playSaturday against the Volunteers.
“Scott would want me to beat Tennessee more than anything,” he said.
Brock and Watts had become friends and hunting companions through Couch.
Mumme said Aaron Daniel, a sophomore center who spelled Watts when hesuffered a concussion in the Arkansas game, probably would start againstTennessee, and redshirt freshman Nolan DeVaughn would back him up.
Couch said players plan to wear a patch honoring Steinmetz, Brock and Wattson their jerseys during the game.
