Rodney Smith injury watch thread

You can tear an ACL and still be standing on the sideline. Some people play with torn ACL's.

I concur. with an ACL, as it's been described to me, you really can't hurt it any worse. It gets down to a matter of - how much pain can you stand. I knew a girl on the local HS basketball team who tore her ACL her senior year. She tried to gut it out and play with a brace, but she lost a lot of mobility and really wasn't very effective.

So Smith could have torn his ACL and still have been standing on the sidelines. As far as playing RB with a torn ACL - that would be the longest of long shots. straight ahead might work, but with the ACL, you lose the side-to-side stability and cutting ability, so the only way I could see him playing is if it was a partial tear. with a full tear, I just can't see him - or any other RB - being effective.
 



Ugh. Really, really unfortunate and I’m sad for him but not surprising after seeing the play. Unfortunately Smith has struggled every year with staying healthy so it was a bit optimistic to expect him to get through the year unscathed but certainly wasn’t expecting a season-ender in game 2. If it’s an ACL and it sure sounds like it that’s a really tough pill to swallow though because he was looking at a potential nice pay day.
 

I concur. with an ACL, as it's been described to me, you really can't hurt it any worse. It gets down to a matter of - how much pain can you stand. I knew a girl on the local HS basketball team who tore her ACL her senior year. She tried to gut it out and play with a brace, but she lost a lot of mobility and really wasn't very effective.

So Smith could have torn his ACL and still have been standing on the sidelines. As far as playing RB with a torn ACL - that would be the longest of long shots. straight ahead might work, but with the ACL, you lose the side-to-side stability and cutting ability, so the only way I could see him playing is if it was a partial tear. with a full tear, I just can't see him - or any other RB - being effective.



The high school QB from my hometown tore his ACL in preseason practice last year and than tore the same ACL in the first game this year. He walks without a limp and can jog/run in a straight line. It's cutting or moving laterally where the ACL tear comes in.......
 



Anyone know if they changed the rules regarding medical waivers concomitant with changing the redshirt rules?


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P.J has been quoted as saying that he will address Rodney's status tomorrow, not today. His weekly press conference is scheduled for 1:15.
 




I struggle to see how a 6th year in college helps his draft stock. Not many 24 year old rookies playing in the NFL. I’d love to see him back but at his age and especially at his position it’d be silly not to jump and try to play his way onto a practice squad or go the CFL route. (Meant to reply to t-docious)
 
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That just frankly isn't true. People get severe pain for all sorts of reasons that are not tear related.

OK fair enough. Also keep in mind, I wasn't using "tear" to automatically mean a complete tear (ie, the ACL band of tissue completely torn). You can have partial tears, or sprains ... which just means a small tear that will mend with time.

The staying on the field I agree means nothing if youre thinking ACL tear as the stability of the knee joint when walking is typically not a big deal.

Did anyone see if he was wearing a brace?

If it was a tear, RS would have not been standing in the tent, or on the field.

LOL -- wrong. Donny, you're out of your element.


Anyone know if they changed the rules regarding medical waivers concomitant with changing the redshirt rules?

Didn't see that. As far as I know, he should still be eligible for a medical hardship that grants him an extension of his eligibility time window from 5 years to 6 years. He will still have his 4th season of eligibility in tact, because he's only played in 2 games so far, which is under the threshold by both the old rules and the new rules (4 games).
 

I struggle to see how a 6th year in college helps his draft stock. Not many 24 year old rookies playing in the NFL. I’d love to see him back but at his age and especially at his position it’d be silly not to jump and try to play his way onto a practice squad or go the CFL route.

Maybe they meant it would help him relative to if he decided to just rehab and train for the 2019 draft?
 

I believe I read that the medical redshirt has been eliminated. Someone look it up.
 



I struggle to see how a 6th year in college helps his draft stock. Not many 24 year old rookies playing in the NFL. I’d love to see him back but at his age and especially at his position it’d be silly not to jump and try to play his way onto a practice squad or go the CFL route. (Meant to reply to t-docious)

"Silly to not jump" to a practice squad or CFL??? This is not the NBA. Running back shelf lives are usually only a few years anyway. I don't think there is a huge difference if he comes in at 23 or 24. Seems like he would be much better served to prove his health on the college level - while getting a free master's - and if he has a good year, he can actually get drafted. Worst-case, he is following your practice squad scenario one year later.
 


With the new redshirt rules, is that a possibility?

A medical hardship waiver is different than a redshirt, so they aren't automatically exclusive. That said, I think whether or not an athlete has redshirted is a factor in the decision, so no idea on the chances of him coming back.

Apparently the official word on Smith's condition is coming in Fleck's presser tomorrow: https://twitter.com/covedrew/status/1039216088192614401?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^tweet

Sorry to be negative, but I'm guessing that means it's not good.
 

A medical hardship waiver is different than a redshirt, so they aren't automatically exclusive. That said, I think whether an athlete has redshirted or not is a factor in the decision.

Apparently the official word on Smith's condition is coming in Fleck's presser tomorrow: https://twitter.com/covedrew/status/1039216088192614401?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^tweet

Sorry to be negative, but I'm guessing that means it's not good.

The way I'm reading all the official language is that an athlete it supposed to get 4 full years of competition (read: not including redshirt year). If OJ Smith (our DT who transferred from Alabama) was just granted a 6th year, I don't see how Rodney wouldn't be after an injury early in Game 2 of his 4th year of competition?
 

The way I'm reading all the official language is that an athlete it supposed to get 4 full years of competition (read: not including redshirt year). If OJ Smith (our DT who transferred from Alabama) was just granted a 6th year, I don't see how Rodney wouldn't be after an injury early in Game 2 of his 4th year of competition?

He redshirted 2014. This year is his 5th year and he played. You get 5 seasons to play 4. Once you’ve used your redshirt, playing in one game (or two in this case) uses up your year.
 

I struggle to see how a 6th year in college helps his draft stock. Not many 24 year old rookies playing in the NFL. I’d love to see him back but at his age and especially at his position it’d be silly not to jump and try to play his way onto a practice squad or go the CFL route. (Meant to reply to t-docious)

true, he could. Im not gonna pretend to know what he is thinking, but if it were me 1 all big ten first team selection would be better than CFL experience. Just my HO.
 

He redshirted 2014. This year is his 5th year and he played. You get 5 seasons to play 4. Once you’ve used your redshirt, playing in one game (or two in this case) uses up your year.

Yes, outside of a medical hardship waiver. How do you explain OJ Smith getting a 6th year then?
 

It is possible to get a 6th year, plenty of guys do. Its not guaranteed, its a case by case basis.

To do so, he has to have a new injury from the reason he redshirted (assuming it was for injury) so if you break your right leg, you can't miss two years from it and redshirt + medical redshirt.

Why did he redshirt in 2014?
 


He redshirted 2014. This year is his 5th year and he played. You get 5 seasons to play 4. Once you’ve used your redshirt, playing in one game (or two in this case) uses up your year.

Medical hardship is not the same thing as a redshirt.

A medical hardship gives you 6 calendar years to use your eligibility, instead of 5. A redshirt means that you don't use up one of your seasons of eligibility.
 


Out for season.
Possible 6th year eligible.

Kyle Goblirsch


@GobieMN
2m2 minutes ago
More Kyle Goblirsch Retweeted Jon Krawczynski
GI has been hearing the same news Jon just broke below, we'll hear Fleck's official word tomorrow. Tough blow for the Senior back, who likely will qualify for a sixth year if he wants it.Kyle Goblirsch added,
 

In order to succeed you need to fail.

Rodney's health failed this year. Shannon's failed earlier this year.

Because of that they'll both be back for next year and carry us to a big ten championship. It's all happening. Blessing in disguise.
 

So how close is Shannon Brooks to being ready? By many accounts Brooks looked great in fall camp. Could it be a case to where they didn't want to play him until late this year, just to be cautious because they already had Smith? If he's close to 100%, maybe they'd consider bringing him back against Maryland?
 

So how close is Shannon Brooks to being ready? By many accounts Brooks looked great in fall camp. Could it be a case to where they didn't want to play him until late this year, just to be cautious because they already had Smith? If he's close to 100%, maybe they'd consider bringing him back against Maryland?

Shannon won't play until he's absolutely 100%. They're not going to risk anything.
 

Would also like an update on Mo Ibrahim. I do not believe that he played this past game.

Assuming Rodney is out for the year, it is a great chance for Bryce Williams to show that he can be a feature back. I've been a Femi-Cole fan from the beginning and truly believe that he can be the type of guy to grind out 50-75 hard fought yards each game.

I would hope to Nolan Edmonds get some run assuming the game is in hand this weekend as part of his four game audition...add Dominik London, to see what they have.

Next man up...great challenge for the O-Line to take charge and protect their guys.

[Edit] Also wanted to add that we don't appear nearly as run heavy as our most recent years and hopefully that continues along with out young receivers progressing, and these backs should have a little more space with which to work.
 
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Would also like an update on Mo Ibrahim. I do not believe that he played this past game.

Assuming Rodney is out for the year, it is a great chance for Bryce Williams to show that he can be a feature back. I've been a Femi-Cole fan from the beginning and truly believe that he can be the type of guy to grind out 50-75 hard fought yards each game.

I would hope to Nolan Edmonds get some run assuming the game is in hand this weekend as part of his four game audition...add Dominik London, to see what they have.

Next man up...great challenge for the O-Line to take charge and protect their guys.

Ibrahim could have played last week, but they held him out.
 




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