Practice review
- Thread starter DocCatsFan
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I hope the freshman WR are ready to play...sounds like we might be burning some shirts early. Great opportunity for Cam Green to come in and make an immediate impact.
The injury situation is a nightmare. We needed to be healthy in order to create a physical and competitive mindset going into the summer. With the amount of guys out, we just can't. I don't think I can remember another college team incurring the amount of injuries NU has experienced over the last three years. I refuse to believe this is just bad luck.
Thinking the same thing Corbi. Wonder how many kids sit out spring ball at other Div.1 programs. I've stopped counting but it sounds like a third of the squad. Do schools like Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Minny and Io-w have these many injuries at this time of the year?
Haven't been following closely. Why is C Jones still out until August? Is it a full 12 month recovery from his 2014 preseason injury or was it another injury? Edit - I just read Lou's article about the reinjury
I do not have high hopes for this year if we have this many guys missing spring practice, on top of not having the benefit of the extra bowl practices either. It was the same story before the 2014 season. I sure hope Fitz pushes hard at Kenosha in August because we will need it.
This post was edited on 4/4 8:55 PM by FanatiCat
I do not have high hopes for this year if we have this many guys missing spring practice, on top of not having the benefit of the extra bowl practices either. It was the same story before the 2014 season. I sure hope Fitz pushes hard at Kenosha in August because we will need it.
This post was edited on 4/4 8:55 PM by FanatiCat
Factoring in injuries, retirements and the missing incoming freshmen class, I estimate that NU is going through spring practice right now with approximately 45 scholarship players. A full roster is 85 scholarship players. It's hard to go full contact with that type of situation.
I'd agree, but there are also times when you go through phases of this. That said, my guess is that Fitz would rather see veterans out for the spring and ready for the fall. I would also guess that we will see more freshman play once again this year. What is great to hear is Anderson's speed! If Thoroson starts you have a 4.51 QB, and lot's of speed with Anderson, Vault, Shuler and my guess is that we will see the kid we signed on the last day this year playing wide out as well. One thing for sure we are getting much faster on offense!
I would be very surprised if we didn't see at least 2 of the incoming WR's in the rotation. Jones is still a question mark due to the injuries. If he isn't at full speed, someone will break into the line up and be a factor.
I wonder what Auston Anderson said that was so hilarious. I've never seen him quoted anywhere, but I hope I do soon!
In general, the article touts getting 'down on the field', but the only insider information it tells me is that AA is funny and that Fitz hasn't changed. Use your access, student reporters.
In general, the article touts getting 'down on the field', but the only insider information it tells me is that AA is funny and that Fitz hasn't changed. Use your access, student reporters.
The reporter was DCF Jr. I did ask him what made him funny and the answer was "everything." Apparently, he is just a super charismatic guy with a terrific sense of humor. For what it's worth, he didn't have any more "access" than anybody else who went to see the practice.
As a Northwestern student who had a discussion-based class with AA last quarter, I can say that he is quite a character. Fun tid-bit: the class culminated in a group presentation and his was as animated I've ever seen a Northwestern final presentation. A few other football players were in the class (Garrett Dickerson, Nate Hall, among others) and they all seemed to genuinely love AA.
That's good to hear. Guys like that make the tough times fun. My freshman year, a guard named Tim Ruff was like that, doing Robin Williams type adlib. and cracking everybody up during double sessions. The coaches thought he was nuts (in a good way) and used to say they weren't working us hard enough if Tim still had so much energy.
corbi, this seems to be a reaccuring spring happening at NU recently. I know reasons such as conditioning and lack of full go practices have been brought up but what about the fact the NU have gone with a entirely new medical staff a few seasons back. Don't seem to remember this many shut down injuries under the previous staff. Or maybe it's just Fitz being super concervitive and/or secrective.
The medical staff is there to fix what's broken, not to take the blame for conditioning, strength, mobility, and numerous other entities which are responsible for injuries because of field conditions, mis-steps, hyperextensions, and everything else that can go wrong. One of the best quotes from the '50's, be it about Johnny Latner of TSISB fame or Walter Payton is that they always kept moving and delivered the blows rather than absorbing them.. It's not the medical staff change but rather all the other items that can occur.
d'son, what's with Jones needing to have a second major surgery, Jackson another "clean out' McEvilly foot problems not corrected and Westfhal still rehabbing. Nearly half the available schlorship players unable to perform this spring due to past surgeries and treatments. Do you actually believe that the medical and training staff doesn't have anything to do with all of the injuries, which seem to linger on and on?
There has been no significant change in medical staff aside from the departure of one trainer before last season.
gcg, sure thought that there were changes to the medical staff in 2013 if not before and think this was in conjunction with Northwestern Hospital being bought by the University of Chicago. Although I can't remember his last name Gregg(sp?) somebody was the head team physician prior to Dr. Milligan coming on as head physician in 2013. I also seem to remember that a female doctor was head physician at some time after Gregg left. I could be totally wrong but it looks like some changes were made.
As Jones said in the interview, he had damaged cartilage from his injury that he re-injured upon starting to run again. That's pretty typical. This is Jackson's first surgery and such arthroscopic procedures are also pretty typical. McEvilly is a big guy with a foot issue... those tend to linger. Westphal had a very major surgery that requires a year-plus of rehab (not sure if the actual surgery has ever been reported).
Surgeries are pretty standard for BCS players in the spring as well, though we do seem to have had more of them these past couple of years.
Unless things have changed significantly of late, Tory Lindley oversees the day-to-day training, maintenance, and rehab with Michael Terry (also team surgeon for the Blackhawks and professor at Feinberg) serving as the lead orthopedic for the football team. Gregg Portland from Illinois Bone and Joint Institute is/was the go-to outside guy for second opinions.
gcg, agree that Lindsey is likely the guy in charge of rehabbing and conditioning in his position of Director of Athletic Training but this is the first time Greg Portland has been mentioned. It was Greg Palutsis who I was referencing earlier and understand he is in Sports Medicine as an Ortopedic Surgeon in Glenview and Wilmette and not affiliated with NU. Glad to see that you agree that NU has had more then the normal amount of debilitating injuries these past few years and still think that all possibilities, including medical practices need to be examined, regarding why.
Gregg Portland and Greg Palutsis wee both with NU as team physicians but that was years ago, not 2013. When Northwestern broke from Evanston Hospital (NorthShore University Health system) I believe 6 or 7 years ago, the day it was announced (or shortly thereafter),the physicians associated with Evanston Hospital stopped their relation with NU and the Northwestern doctors took over. The medical staff has been stable. The recurring injuries are NOT a function of the medical staff or their care but may fall under other mechanisms such as stated before (turf, strength, flexibility, balance, size, and a whole host of other items that can play a role). The medical staff is there to fix things up and repair the damage but cannot warranty the players to not have injuries. It is the nature of the game. As an example, during Saturday's practice one of the routes run by the receivers caused a slip for one of them when he tried to stop and come back. he limped away but the problem was he slipped on the turf in trying to stop. Is that a technique issue? a strength issue? or something else?
please don't knock the medical staff.
please don't knock the medical staff.
d'son, just about everything you say is truthful, including the fact that the major changes in the medical staff took place 6 or 7 or even more years ago but don't feel that the medical staff should be completely held not responsible. I have heard from very good sources over the years that quite a few player injuries have been misdiagnosed and mistreated. Even the best make mistakes.
It certain respects, this issue is like the debate over global warming: we know it's happening to some degree but have achieved no overwhelming consensus on cause or solution. Temporal proximity to Larry Lija's departure in 2011 suggests the current strength and conditioning regimen is to blame - allowing one year for substandard S&C to manifest itself given the extremely healthy 2012 season. Some of the earlier post-Lija conditioning innovations such as the sleep management program and the exaggerated position-specific training enhancements now seem like ineffective gimmicks. Then again, many of the injuries, such as the Valenzisi-esque knee injury 1that Jones suffered at Berkeley in 2013, were freakish and seemingly unrelated to physical development in the off-season.
And under the "it could be worse" category, we thankfully haven't suffered any Wheeler-esque tragedies since Fitzgerald's elevation as head coach.
And under the "it could be worse" category, we thankfully haven't suffered any Wheeler-esque tragedies since Fitzgerald's elevation as head coach.
Agree willy. The diagnosis of an I jury depends on both the physical exam and the history as well as supplemental tests(MRI, X-Ray, etc), and errors in diagnosis can occur when one item appears to be present when it is an unusual presentation of a common entity. MD does not stand for minor diety so there is no crystal ball or divining that occurs without all the information coming out. mechanisms of injury play a role in diagnosis, and not having he complete history sometimes makes for am incorrect diagnosis. I am n ot privy to those diagnoses which were incorrect, or even those which were correct since it is held close to the vest, or limited to upper or lower body injuries. The physicians do not tell, even to their non sports medicine colleagues. But, yes, incorrect diagnoses do occur as do treatments based on the incorrect diagnosis. No one is 100% correct but we try to follow the dictum "primum non nocere". Latin is not taught much any more but those of you who can translate this are of the older generation. Will be interesting to see how the injury patterns go this year.
Okay, Inspector Javert. Nice for you to take time away from discussing windmills in another post on the football board.
Thanks d'son and I'm sure that we can all agree that this excessive amount of injuries needs to change. Think that all aspects of the football program, including conditioining, strength training, medical assistance and coaching plans need to be looked at.
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