In the final minutes of the Washington Huskies’ first 2023 spring practice there was a scary moment when edge rusher Maurice Heims laid motionless inside Dempsy Indoor Arena. For over 10 minutes team medical staff attended to him before EMTs took over, eventually transporting him to an area hospital.
A soccer player in his native Germany until he was 13, he gave a virtual thumbs up on social media tweeting, “I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers I’ll be back in no time! Love you all.”
Official word from the team the next day confirmed that the red shirt sophomore’s injury wasn’t as bad as once feared, saying, “Following a collision during Monday’s practice, Maurice Heims was transported to a local hospital where he underwent several medical tests. He was cleared to return home earlier this evening where he is recovering.”
He was not present at the Huskies next two practices, but according to a source, “he is all good, totally ok.”
There is no official word from the University on Heims status.
In his hometown of Hamburg, Heims grew to 6-4 and 230-pound 15-year old. He’d grown so much that he outgrew the German national sport of fußball. He connected with former NFL defensive lineman Brandon Collier’s international football development academy PPI, based in Germany.
With Collier’s help Heims found a home on the football field with his impressive measurables including a 4.6 forty yard dash. Heims would eventually move to the Los Angeles area school Santa Margarita.
Despite limited exposure to American football, Penn State was the first to offer. Heims eventually pulled in nine Power 5 offers, including Washington. He signed with the Huskies in the class of 2021, red shirting that year.
With DeBoer’s new aggressive defense Heims saw action in 7 games, recording his first career sack against Colorado. Jeremiah Martin’s departure for the NFL, has Heims competing with junior Sav’ell Smalls, Sioux Falls transfer Zach Durfee, a beefed up Lance Holtzclaw, and a slimmed down Voi Tunuufi for snaps this coming season.
The Huskies resume practice on April 3rd.
