Southern Miss football linebacker T.Q. Newsome turns down final season for medical school

T.Q. Newsome takes to heart that the lessons learned on the football field translate into life. He also knows football isn’t forever for most people.

The Southern Miss linebacker has one year of eligibility remaining, but he will not be using it.

Instead, Newsome will be pursuing the next chapter in his life as a medical doctor. And when Newsome found out on Nov. 1 that he was accepted into the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson, that all but cemented his decision.

“Pretty much the past few years, I've dedicated a lot, sacrificed a lot for that moment,” said Newsome, who is from Gulfport. “And so to know that you've worked so hard to finally accomplish it, it's a really unbelievable feeling.”

A convincing resume

Newsome can’t point to a specific moment in his life when he realized he wanted to be a doctor. He is leaning toward entering the cardiology field, but also has experience with orthopedics.

“There are a lot of different influences, but one thing for sure is I just have a spirit of just wanting to be there for people and with a spirit of altruism,” Newsome said. “... In the healthcare field, especially in Mississippi where we have the most Black individuals per capita in the nation, there aren't very many Black doctors and Black cardiologists. So, I found a gap there that I could fulfill and that's what I want to pursue.”

And as expected, the grind is grueling. Newsome already completed his undergraduate in kinesiology with a focus in exercise science. He will complete his graduate program in the spring and is currently an assistant in the cardiovascular physiology lab. Newsome interned at Forrest General Hospital and has shadowed different doctors too.

His LinkedIn bio, which appears to have not been updated recently, also lists him as part of the Honors College and a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. And don’t forget, he was still juggling all the responsibilities of being a football player too.

“One thing I can say is this staff has been exceptional,” Newsome said. “It allowed me to be me. When it's time to play football, it's time to be at football, but when we're away from football they allow me to be away."

Coach Will Hall said he doesn’t blame Newsome for moving on to medical school.

“That's a hard thing to turn down,” Hall said. “That’s what he wants to do with his life. You go to college to figure out what you want to do and to set yourself up for success and he has done that. We’re proud of him and proud of what he’s going to become. The future’s really bright for him.”

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Final season didn't go as planned, but there are still lessons to be drawn

Everyone wants to go out on top when they make a switch.

That’s not how it worked for Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles stumbled to a 3-9 season and fell 35-17 in the final game to Troy.

Newsome finished the season with 29 tackles, two tackles for loss and half a sack.

He came to Southern Miss as a running back, despite playing quarterback at Gulfport High School. After his freshman year, Newsome flipped to linebacker. He only made two starts in his career – both this past season – but was still a key rotational piece in Southern Miss’ defense.

“I think overall, it turned out really well,” he said. “I found my place; I found my niche on a team on the defense."

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And even through all of the challenges of the 2023 season, there is still some good that can come out of it.

“Just dealing with adversity,” Newsome said. “We came to the season expecting things. We had certain expectations and it didn't go our way. So it is just like how do you respond when things aren't going away?”

Sam Sklar is the Southern Miss beat reporter for the Hattiesburg American. Email him at ssklar@hattiesb.gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.

This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Southern Miss linebacker forgoing final season for medical school