Jarriel King

Jarriel King - USC left tackle

Trip to hospital prompts left tackle to address heart issue after season.

A day after being hospitalized following his second heart scare in three weeks, USC left tackle Jarriel King returned to the team Wednesday and revealed he will need heart surgery after the season.

King, who has an irregular heartbeat, was hospitalized for nearly 10 hours Tuesday after experiencing tightness and pain in his chest and shortness of breath while lifting weights at Williams-Brice Stadium.

The 6-foot-7, 285-pounder said doctors have adjusted his medication and cleared him to play Saturday against Alabama-Birmingham.

“I’m all right, trust me. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here,” King said Wednesday. “The trainers and the doctors, they’ve got a good plan to get me through the season. And after the season, they’re going to take care of it permanently. I’m confident with it. I’ve been taken off one of the medications. I feel better doing that. I’m cool.”

The 21-year-old King was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation about a year and a half ago at Georgia Military College. Though at times he has gone off his medicine because it made him tired, King said he believes doctors have found the proper dosage.

Although King said his most recent heart episode did not scare him, it helped convince him surgery is necessary. King, a junior who originally signed with USC in 2005, expects to resume his football career following the procedure.

“They do the tests and they see (arrhythmia) right there plain on paper every time for the past year and a half, two years,” King said. “It’s apparent that I need to have something done about it, and after the season I’m going to have it taken care of.”