Kamal Martin injury watch thread

I love the job Fleck has been doing here but one thing that frustrates me is all the cloak and dagger misinformation about injuries. I also realize he isn't the only coach that does this and it might even be described as "commonplace" now - but it still bugs me. I have a need to worry about these things, or in this case, know if this is or is NOT an ACL. This is all about me.

We have seen several instances now where guys are referred to as "ready" and "okay" where they haven't played at all. Guys on the depth chart that aren't even dressed, etc. etc.

There is NO WAY a guy with an ACL can be a GTD so if it weren't for all the other misinformation, I would take this as a fantastic sign Martin's knee is ACL-tear-free and he would be back easily after the bye week for Penn State. But given all the fibbing on this subject, I literally don't know what to think until someone says there is no ligament tear, or I actually see him in uniform.

It's all gamesmanship. It gives the opponent another thing to prepare for that it might otherwise not need to. As long as coaches are permitted to do this, I have no problem with it. The more an opponent has to think about, the better for the Gophers.
 

When Fleck was asked about Martin in the post game press conference, he seemed surprisingly unconcerned about it. It’s probably not as bad as we all feared.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

When Fleck was asked about Martin in the post game press conference, he seemed surprisingly unconcerned about it. It’s probably not as bad as we all feared.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Me IRL:

2013%252F06%252F18%252F7c%252FBeaker.39ba8.gif%252Ffit-in__1200x9600.gif
 

The bottom line in this is it doesn't sound like Martin will miss significant time which is huge for the defense as he is one of the leaders.

And agree with others that Fleck has actually been pretty out front with injury news most weeks. He has been more deceptive in regards to discipline issues but with injuries he usually seems to tell it like it is for the most part.
 

I love the job Fleck has been doing here but one thing that frustrates me is all the cloak and dagger misinformation about injuries. I also realize he isn't the only coach that does this and it might even be described as "commonplace" now - but it still bugs me. I have a need to worry about these things, or in this case, know if this is or is NOT an ACL. This is all about me.

We have seen several instances now where guys are referred to as "ready" and "okay" where they haven't played at all. Guys on the depth chart that aren't even dressed, etc. etc.

There is NO WAY a guy with an ACL can be a GTD so if it weren't for all the other misinformation, I would take this as a fantastic sign Martin's knee is ACL-tear-free and he would be back easily after the bye week for Penn State. But given all the fibbing on this subject, I literally don't know what to think until someone says there is no ligament tear, or I actually see him in uniform.

Good news is a little less cloak and dagger. Seems like ACL is off the table.

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 


When Fleck was asked about Martin in the post game press conference, he seemed surprisingly unconcerned about it. It’s probably not as bad as we all feared.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Fleck was on with PA and was asked directly. to Summarize:

Got some really good news.
Trainers feel good about it.
Will be a game time decision on Saturday.
Doesn't need to practice this week to play, knows the defense as well as our coordinator.
 

I feel like they should try to make it without him this week and give him 3 weeks to be fully healthy for the brutal last 4 games.
 

The 2nd game Kamal missed, GA Southern had 198 total yards.

THe game was close because a blocked FG and a fumble for TDs, and a short field drive after a failure on 3rd & 4th & 1.
 




When Fleck was asked about Martin in the post game press conference, he seemed surprisingly unconcerned about it. It’s probably not as bad as we all feared.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Would that be similar to when Faalele went to locker room vs. Illinois and PJ said he was ok, then didn't suit up vs. Nebraska?
I know most coaches do this type of thing, so going on the word of any HC when it comes to injuries just isn't very reliable in the college game.
 

I am feeling better about this whole thing, by the minute. The Martin knee injury was a dark cloud over the win over Rutgers. That cloud seems to be lifting.

Knock on wood and I keep saying this but one of the biggest story lines for this memorable Gopher football season is the magical avoidance of key injuries. It has the effect of making the team much deeper in talent than would otherwise seem.
 

The injury thing extends to virtually all coaches. I know HS coaches who do this all the time. You expect one guy to start, and on game day, there's someone different in the lineup. I've had coaches tell me a guy was out - and he winds up playing. I've had coaches tell me a guy looked OK, and he didn't play.

Now, at the HS level, you don't have quite the same degree of trainers and injury treatment. But still, the vast majority of coaches don't want to give anything away. So this is nothing unique to Fleck.
 

I feel like they should try to make it without him this week and give him 3 weeks to be fully healthy for the brutal last 4 games.

Yeah I agree. It's worth rolling the dice hand having him on the sidelines.
 



I am feeling better about this whole thing, by the minute. The Martin knee injury was a dark cloud over the win over Rutgers. That cloud seems to be lifting.

Knock on wood and I keep saying this but one of the biggest story lines for this memorable Gopher football season is the magical avoidance of key injuries. It has the effect of making the team much deeper in talent than would otherwise seem.

Everyone needs to be knocking on every piece of wood they can find that Antoine Winfield Jr. makes it through the Maryland game without another season ending injury...get a big lead and get him off the field to avoid something crazy happening again :)
 

I feel like they should try to make it without him this week and give him 3 weeks to be fully healthy for the brutal last 4 games.

Agree 100%.

This game is a fantastic opportunity for Oliver or Rush to get a lot of game reps.

Or could put Coughlin back at LB, I suppose.
 

Injuries: absolutely we have been lucky. All great teams have some luck, at least in this dept.

Every play is a roll of the dice.


Thing is, you can try to get key players healthy to the big game (Penn St in this case), but then they might get hurt on the first play. You never know when your last play if the season is gonna be.
 

Wow, I am happy to be 100% wrong on this one. If there’s any doubt this season has divine intervention written all over it with the miracle endings, opposing team injuries, Casey O’ Brien story, 7-0 start, Sconnie losing to IL now a key starter avoiding what looked like season ending injury then I don’t know what to say. Connelly this week even giving us a 43% chance to defeat PSU and WI which looked more like 10% chances 4 weeks ago...
 


Here's Greder's tweet for those who don't want to click a link


Here's a transcript of the tweet for the people who don't want look at a tweet, don't want to click a link AND don't want to search for the tweet:

Andy Greder
@andygreder

Good News: #Gophers linebacker Kamal Martin will be a game-time decision vs. Maryland, Coach PJ Fleck said.

9:26 AM - 21 Oct 2019

8 Retweets 124 Likes
 

Here is Andy Greder's background for those wanting to know more about him:

Andy Greder covers the Gophers and Minnesota United for the Pioneer Press. Since joining the paper full time in November 2013, he has also covered the Timberwolves as a beat and spot duty from the Vikings to high schools. He was a part-time breaking news reporter at the Pioneer Press from 2011-13, when he was also a freelance writer and organic farmer. He started at the Duluth News Tribune in 2006, covering sports, news and business until living abroad in 2010.
 

Man, if he can be even 90% for that Penn St game, it would be huge for this team. Sounds like the pathway is there.
 

Here's a transcript of the tweet for the people who don't want look at a tweet, don't want to click a link AND don't want to search for the tweet:

Andy Greder
@andygreder

Good News: #Gophers linebacker Kamal Martin will be a game-time decision vs. Maryland, Coach PJ Fleck said.

9:26 AM - 21 Oct 2019

8 Retweets 124 Likes

that's a lot of words. Could you just summarize it please?
 

Here's a transcript of the tweet for the people who don't want look at a tweet, don't want to click a link AND don't want to search for the tweet:

Andy Greder
@andygreder

Good News: #Gophers linebacker Kamal Martin will be a game-time decision vs. Maryland, Coach PJ Fleck said.

9:26 AM - 21 Oct 2019

8 Retweets 124 Likes

Here is a copy of the tweet, as if I was re-tweeting it if this were twitter.
 


My guess is Fleck already knows he’s out but he will do anything to keep Maryland guessing and hopefully game planning as he’s going to play. Why as a coach would you want to give the opponent any information?

I think pretty much all of us don’t think there’s anyway he plays Saturday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

I said in the game thread I'd be shocked if it weren't an ACL. Color me surprised and ecstatic! I'm here to take my medicine. I believe somebody called me "Dr. Oz" after that post...so yeah...

a1581f9c17c2e3ffdcb71e3b7ece42f397bd263aa6c94c816c72beb634c0c480.jpg
 

Wow, I am happy to be 100% wrong on this one. If there’s any doubt this season has divine intervention written all over it with the miracle endings, opposing team injuries, Casey O’ Brien story, 7-0 start, Sconnie losing to IL now a key starter avoiding what looked like season ending injury then I don’t know what to say. Connelly this week even giving us a 43% chance to defeat PSU and WI which looked more like 10% chances 4 weeks ago...

Where do you find the detailed updates from Bill C.? Since he moved to espn, I’ve only been able to find the overall rankings updates.
 

Where do you find the detailed updates from Bill C.? Since he moved to espn, I’ve only been able to find the overall rankings updates.

You have to bookmark his twitter feed. He posts a lot of detailed data you won’t find at ESPN. It’s a tragedy though we don’t get weekly breakdowns as when he was at SB nation and CFB Sudy Hall. Can’t fault him for taking a paycheck though. I’d be willing to pay a bit to access the more in depth data.

Here is each team’s 2018 profile for comparison with 2019. MN has really improved.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...zo333PqSetw52kEGgbXKb6viGZSbYuJugvRR/pubhtml#
 

I want to be overjoyed that it’s not an ACL, but given this staff’s history with injuries and depth charts I am skeptical. Is this going to be like when Mo was good to go for 3 straight weeks but didn’t see a snap?
 

So if Kamal is out long term, why do we need to deal with the drop off at LB? Why don’t we shift Coughlin to LB, and play Mafe and Devers more on the line? Coughlin can play that position, pretty well, as long as he hasn’t forgotten how to.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 




Top Bottom