Montee Ball Attacked by Five Unknown Men, Taken to Hospital With Head Injuries

by Sean Peick on Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 5:59PM

Unfortunately for Montee Ball, the star running back for the University of Wisconsin, the violence of the play on the field has followed him off of it.

The 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist was assaulted early Wednesday morning in Madison, Wisc. as part of what police are terming an “unprovoked” attack, according to ESPN.

Five men, who apparently were not known by Ball, rushed him at about 2:15 a.m., knocking him to the ground and then kicking him. The reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year was taken to an area hospital and then released later in the morning after being treated for head injuries.

Coach Bret Bielema said in a statement that he expects Ball to “make a full recovery.” The police are investigating the incident as an unprovoked assault, and it is listed as a battery.

Ball finished a distant fourth in the Heisman voting last December, following a year that saw him tie Barry Sanders’ 23-year-old FBS record for most total touchdowns in a season and rush for 1,923 yards. He elected to skip the NFL draft and return for his senior season with the Badgers.

Thumbnail photo via Facebook/Montee Ball