Seth Higdon called what he believed to be his second-career interception “a series of unfortunate events.”

The Permian safety picked off a pass from El Paso Eastwood backup quarter Aaron Estrada at the Panthers’ 38-yard line on a 4th-and-10 situation.

Higdon returned the ball to the 15-yard line where he met with a swarm of Troopers.

During the defensive part of that play, the Panthers committed one of their 10 penalties from that contest which voided Higdon’s interception.

However, at the tail end of Higdon’s return, his junior campaign was cut short as one of those Troopers attempting to tackle him connected on the side of his right leg and tore his meniscus.

“It was unfortunate, especially since the play didn’t even count,” Higdon said with a smile.

Higdon explained he didn’t go through treatment the following Saturday after the Panthers collected a 55-34 victory over El Paso Eastwood on Friday, because he thought it was general soreness.

Yet, that changed Monday when that general soreness never went away. It was determined he had torn his meniscus in his right leg on Monday and by Wednesday, Higdon had season-ending surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee.

“I didn’t have a lot of time,” Higdon said. “I was hurt Friday. I found out about it Monday and had surgery Wednesday. Everything happened pretty quick.”

Permian head coach Blake Feldt said it was tough to see Higdon’s promising start come to an abrupt halt in the third week of the season.

Through the first three weeks of the season, the Panthers’ defense gave up an average of 18 points per contest. Over the next seven games, they allowed 25.4.

“Seth is a great football player and losing him a year ago was obviously not a good thing for us,” Feldt said. “He’s a 210-pound safety that’s athletic and can run. He’s got great instincts. It’s great to have him back, because it’s a hard to replace a 210-pound safety that can run and has instincts.”

That meniscus tear was the first time in Higdon’s career he missed significant time due to injury.

Higdon stood on the sidelines as he watched the Panthers finished 3-4 over the next seven games and miss the playoffs. He also watched as three of his fellow starters — nose guard Taivon Walker, slot back Kobe Robinson and slot back Brother Miller — suffer season-ending right knee injuries.

“That injury made me mentally stronger,” said Higdon, who concluded his junior year with 29 tackles, four pass breakups and one interception. “I never had an injury that took me out like that. That was pretty much my first injury like that and it made me mentally stronger.”

Because the typical rehabilitation for a torn meniscus is three months, Higdon was forced to miss the final seven games of the regular season, but he wasn’t in jeopardy of missing Permian’s baseball season or being allowed for full-contact drills during spring camp.

Permian safeties coach Ron King commends Higdon for not missing a step when he arrived at spring camp. Higdon practiced with the first-team defense from the moment he cleared to step back on the field.

“When kids go down with a serious injury like that, you don’t know how they are going to respond and he had the right attitude,” King said. “He worked. He competed. He continued to get better. It’s a credit to him and the job that he did to get himself prepared so that he could come back for his senior season.”

In Higdon’s absence, the Panthers had multiple players start at safety.

Those starters included Christian Tschauner, Zane Murphy and Ben Vore, but the constant for all three was to play alongside Preston Ellison.

Ellison said it was tough to see teammate in the secondary go down early in 2016 with a season-ending injury.
“Seth and I hang out outside of football, so I was sad that he didn’t get to play the rest of the season and I felt for him,” said Ellison, who transitioned back to linebacker from safety in spring camp. “If that was me, I would be pretty sad too. Hopefully this year, everyone can stay healthy and not miss any games.”

During spring and fall camps, Vore emerged as the starting safety next to Higdon. Tschauner started 10 games as a sophomore whether it was at cornerback or safety.

Vore — who stood 6-2, 158 pounds as a junior — added 39 pounds onto his wiry frame in the offseason. Vore said he’s more confident this season, a mixture of Higdon returning to the secondary and the added weight he put on over the spring and summer.

“Seth and I have known each other for a long time,” Vore said building chemistry with Higdon in the secondary. 

“We’ve always been on the same team since seventh grade. (Seth) hasn’t always been a safety, but I know how he plays.”

After a season-ending injury, King said he sees a little different mindset from Higdon.

“That injury to him, he now knows that he can’t take a practice or a game for granted,” King said. “Nothing promised to you and there’s no guarantees that you are going to get another game. You see him in the way that he practices that he’s going to make sure that he’s going to go all out. He’s got that hunger. He’s going to make the most of the situation.”

As his senior season is set to open with Austin Vandegrift at 7 p.m. today at Ratliff Stadium, Higdon wants to write off unfinished business.

The Permian safety is ready to start his senior season off on a strong note.

“Honestly, I feel great,” Higdon said. “I’m learning everything faster and better and I’m just quicker in play recognition.”
