The expectations and hype that surrounded the Texas Southern University Tigers Football team had fans speaking highly on how the tiger football team would look on the field this upcoming season. The weapons they have in the program and the new ones that joined the team will have the tigers ready to upset some teams in the SWAC this upcoming season. The news surrounding junior quarterback Andrew Body could be ready for the season, left many of the fans wishing the season would start immediately.
The only concern was making sure Andrew Body was physically ready to play this upcoming season. Andrew Body would have to go through the agony of physical therapy, strength and conditioning his shoulder to be prepared to lead his TSU Tigers team into battle this upcoming season. Andrew Body suffered a shoulder injury against Alabama A&M during the 2022 football season. Andrew Body got his medical clearance to begin throwing the football to get himself ready for the 2023 football season. The biggest question remained, will Andrew Body be ready for the season opener against Prairie View A&M.
Texas Southern recruited a quarterback into the program, that would have the average fan believe they are going to start the season with that young man and gradually bring Andrew Body along slowly making sure he was ready to get on the field without any setbacks. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen and Andrew Body started that first game of the season against Prairie View A&M and put on a show. Being down 14 points against Prairie View A&M football team in the second quarter, Andrew Body and the Texas Southern Tigers fought back to tie the score 17-17 right before the half.
Texas Southern came out in the third quarter and score 17 unanswered points. Looking to put more points on the score against Prairie View to put the game away, Body threw 2 more interceptions in the third quarter that would have you question why aren’t the tigers running the ball more, when Prairie View offense wasn’t able to move the ball. One thing that was very evident, was Body throwing motion wasn’t the same as earlier in the game. Body threw the ball 38 times completing 18 for 286 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. Andrew Body was the second leading rusher on the team in the game for the tigers behind LaDarius Owens who rushed the ball eight times for 104 yards one touchdown and was averaging thirteen yards per carry. Andrew Body rushed the ball ten times for sixty four yards.
Watching Andrew Body throw the ball it seems something was off with his arm movement. As the days went on and the team was preparing for the University of Toledo. As the weeks went on fans wanted to know why was Andrew Body out of the lineup. Texas Southern Head Coach McKinney made a statement that Andrew Body will make a statement via social media shortly. On September 29, 2023, Andrew Body made it know he was going to medical redshirt for the year, to make sure he has fully recovered from the injury he sustained at the end of the 2022 football season.
Andrew Body took to twitter to announce that he will be medical red shirted for the remainder of the 2023 football season. Twitter post courtesy of Andrew Body social media page.
Andrew Body will have additional years of eligibility left once he has recovered from his injury. We look forward to seeing him back with Texas Southern University next season. We will wait until that time to hear his decision on he collegiate football future.