As I'm sure you all know, as an alumna of the University of Florida I'm a rabid Gator fan, and today we received some highly distressing news. Andre Debose, our #1 WR and starting kick returner is out for the season with a torn ACL. I asked Chris Harry, one of the Gator beat reporters, if he'd apply for a medical redshirt, and he replied, "Not sure what he's thinking right now, but he can apply and there is plenty of precedent (one on UF team: Jeremy Brown)."
If I remember correctly, Jeremy Brown stayed on the team for six years, with two medical redshirts. Hoping Debose can get a second redshirt (his first was his true freshman year with a hamstring) and come back next year. He would be an asset as a leader on the team for this year while he's healing, and I honestly think it would serve a NFL career better for him to come back for one more year after the injury. Look at Gator TE Cornelius Ingram, who tore his ACL and went straight to the NFL after his recovery...he hasn't been heard of lately, now has he? Greg Childs, of course injured himself in his last season and was drafted anyway, and then hurt himself again in training camp, and was waived before returning to our IR. This season is big for him, and with Debose's up and down career at UF, I don't know if he can risk pulling a similar move.
According to the press release, the injury happened while in pads but was NOT a contact injury. While listening to the talking heads on Sportscenter this morning about the number of injuries this season and whether or not there are more than usual and what any difference can be attributed too, I started thinking. It's true that every single year I say, "There have been more injuries this year than ever before!" and it's usually not true. Injuries usually stay the same - or reasonably so - every year, it's just that we forget about it during the 6 months off.
Every single injury seems to have happened as a non-contact injury so far, even if they players were wearing pads. (Which is good news for in-game injuries.) I wonder what we could possibly do to reduce these "planting" injuries? New drills? Some sort of preventative muscle training? A guy friend of mine was lifting with incorrect form, and nearly tore a ligament because he was developing the muscle incorrectly, and it took him months of lifting with proper form to have his muscles lie the way they were supposed to and let his ligament go back in place. Perhaps some sort of carefully monitored training program to ensure strong muscles around knees, ankles, and other vulnerable joints could be developed?
I'm no trainer, and I transferred out of pre-med to archaeology after two years, so most of my anatomical knowledge is limited to the skeletal system...and that what I've learned from my own many sports injuries. I have no idea if new drills or a new strength program would eliminate or even alleviate these rashes of injuries. What I do know is that prevention is better than cure, and I'd love it if the NFL, NFLPA, and NCAAF worked together to try to understand why and how these injuries occur, and if anything can be done about them.
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