Triage Time: Trip to the Trop
September 2nd, 2008 by Will Carroll
I had the chance on Friday to meet up with the rest of the FCB crew at a Rays game. I mean, what better place to talk college football? Seriously, we had a great time and I’m glad that I’m a small part of this team. The season has kicked off now and the injuries mean even more so let’s get right to the good stuff:
Chris Wells RB OHIO STATE
If Ohio State hopes to challenge for not just a Big T1e1n title, but for a national title, they’ll need to stay healthy. They did a poor job of that in their opener with Chris “Beanie” Wells dropping with a painful foot injury. The crawl all day said “X-rays negative” but that only told me that there was no fracture and the motion that led to him dropping to the turf didn’t look like one that would break bones. It did, however, with it’s quick jump-stop on turf, look like one that would tax tendons and ligaments. News reports focused on the x-rays or confused with reports of a boot on “his ankle.” While I haven’t been able to lock down exactly what’s going on, the best guess based on all the information is that he’s sprained a ligament in his foot. He’s almost assuredly out this week against Ohio, but no one seems too concerned about that game. With USC coming to town, the Buckeyes need him, but there is a huge question whether there’s enough time to get him back to 100% and against a tough Trojan D, he’s a very risky fantasy play. In the longer term, this is a worry if it’s a mid-foot sprain or a severe ankle sprain. We should know more by the end of the week.
Jeremy Maclin WR MIZZOU
I’ve said it a million times it seems, but when you pair up a speed player with a leg injury, it’s never a good thing. Speed kills, yes, especially in college football where some guys aren’t just a step quicker, but four and five steps quicker. However, those same guys haven’t proven they can keep those legs healthy. One wrong step, one muscle fiber too tight, and they’ll end up where Maclin did, on the sidelines, leaning on crutches and watching. Maclin is expected to be back for this week’s game, but he’ll likely be slowed and won’t have the sharp cuts. The tendon strain is better than a true ankle sprain when it comes to recovery, plus we know Maclin knows how to rehab.
Percy Harvin WR FLORIDA
A buddy of mine has a countdown to “The U Shocks The World” on his Facebook page right now. If Miami is going to take out Florida, one of their hopes is that the injuries the Gators have dealt with in the preseason carry into this matchup. Problem is it looks like the Gators medical staff is as on their game as the players were last Saturday. Harvin didn’t play in the first game, but sources say he’s “very close to 100%” for the Miami game. He has game breaking speed, but the chronic heel problem is something that the team will have to watch closely, especially with the various fields they’ll play on this season. Harvin’s a must start when he’s available, but if you drafted him, you’re not going to have any weeks where you don’t have to double check your roster.
Brent Rausch QB HAWAII
“Dead arm”? I normally get that in baseball, but the fact is, in football, these guys aren’t on a pitch count and aren’t overworked in most cases. I actually had a chance to talk about this with a couple NFL teams a few years back and a biomechanical study showed that, much like softball, the differing mechanics should allow QBs to throw more than they do now with less damage. For Rausch, this ‘dead arm’ translates as ‘played like crap, got benched, and lost his job.’ I wouldn’t worry too much about it. He’ll get more chances like he did in the second half if Inoke Funaki doesn’t perform.
Rob Gronkowski TE ARIZONA
Gronkowski for the TD! Oh wait, that was Chris, Rob’s younger brother, who scored in his first game for the Cats. The more known Gronkowski brother is still out with strep throat. At least that’s what the team is calling it, though there’s still a chance he has mono. Strep would be bad enough to keep him out again this week and that looks like it will be the case. The longer he’s out, the more question there is about his stamina and sources are telling me that Gronkowski is both tired and losing weight. Scouts and coaches call that “losing sand.” Gronkowski’s got to feel like his sand is in the hourglass.
Dexton Fields WR KANSAS
The Jayhawks aren’t sneaking up on anyone this year, but are still a very solid team under not so solidly built Mark Mangino. Even a minor injury to Fields – his leg hit something and left a painful bruise but no serious damage – just showcased how deep the team is at WR. They go about six deep with speed, size and talent, which makes Fields’ return a bit interesting. With that kind of depth, the team could afford to be conservative at returning him if there’s any question. Look to see if Fields is practicing by Wednesday, Thursday at the latest before you commit to him this week.
Greg Matthews WR MICHIGAN
The Wolverines are looking for their first win in the Rodriguez era and while most of the focus is on who will start at QB, whoever it is will need someone to throw it to. Greg Matthews is clearly their top receiving threat so losing him to a moderate ankle sprain took some of the threat away in Saturday’s loss. It looks like Matthews will play this week against Miami (non “Da U” version), though we’ll have to wait and see how he practices to know if his routes – his strength – will be affected.
Justin Roper QB OREGON
It might sound surprising that the Ducks don’t seem to know exactly when Justin Roper suffered his concussion. Researchers who put accelerometers in helmets as part of a study found that concussion-level trauma occurred far more than expected, though players showed symptoms far less than expected. It suggests that there’s a “survival of the fittest” effect as we rise through the strata of football, with one of the winnowing effects being the ability to take the blows. That doesn’t help Roper, who did feel the effects, and it certainly doesn’t help the Oregon passing game, already thin after losing Nate Costa for the season. Concussions are very serious injuries so hopefully the Oregon staff will make sure that Roper is safe before returning him to the field. A QB who’s just a beat slow with reactions and decisions is one that’s likely to find himself in a far worse situation.
Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, QB NAVY
In baseball, it’s Mark Grudzialanek and Doug Mientkiewicz. In the NFL, it’s T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Long names that seem to always be hurt. It’s like the Injury Gods want to challenge me with carpal tunnel syndrome! In college, it’s got to be … umm, yeah, I hear his friends call him “Special K” and we’re all friends here, right? The Midshipmen are headed into a game with Ball State this week and the team just up the road from me has some offensive weapons, so being without Kaheaku-Enhada is a problem for Navy. The hamstring injury has him hobbled enough that Navy will likely turn to Jarod Bryant, who had a nice game against Towson and has a much easier name to spell. ‘Special K’ is expected back soon, though. In fact, coach Joe Niamatololu … oh, you’re just messing with me now!
Andre Dixon RB UCONN
Paging Wally Pipp! Andre Dixon isn’t actually in any danger. The fact that backup Donald Brown put up 100+ yards rushing and four TD’s with Dixon out doesn’t tell us much. Imagine what Dixon might have done against the Hofstra defense if his ankle hadn’t put him on the sidelines. It’s a nice story when something like this happens, a backup made good, and yes, it could open the door to giving Brown more carries and more chances to prove himself an adequate Big East RB. You can often see this in college, where maturation, both physically and mentally, can lead to leaps of talent and results. Dixon is expected back for the next game against Army, though he’ll likely get less touches than normal.
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