CK Sooner
8/24/2009, 04:10 PM
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=498&sid=7659389
Camp Cougar, Day 14
...and more "black and blue" for the boys in blue.
August 24th, 2009 @ 12:34pm
Two more notable injuries marked the final day of two-a-days on an otherwise pleasant morning in Provo.
In a 16-period session that had the players in "shells" (helmets and shoulder pads only), RB Harvey Unga (hamstring) and FC Scott Johnson (concussion) went down and did not finish practice.
*******
Unga was hurt on an innocuous play during "skelly" (6 on 8), after catching a pass over the middle. Trainers immediately iced him up and he watched the remainder of practice, but Bronco is not concerned, saying Unga "won't be out" for the Oklahoma game.
*******
Johnson was the victim of a collision with FB Manase Tonga, who was taking part in his first padded practice since the 2007 season. Tonga turned the corner and lowered the shoulder into Johnson, who was down for at least five minutes before being helped to his feet. He spent the remainder of the "Team" session of practice in the shade with an iced towel on his neck. Bronco says even with the modern concussion guidelines, Johnson should have enough recovery time ahead of the Oklahoma game.
*******
While Andrew Rich (groin), Brian Kariya (ankle), and Vic So'oto (ankle) were not practicing, some previously injured players made it back today—at least for some drills, if not "live" segments of practice. Notably, LB Terrance Hooks (hamstring), CB Brandon Bradley (groin/hamstring) and CB Robbie Buckner (hamstring) were in pads but otherwise "eased in," spending some time in position drills, and some time conditioning.
*******
The So'oto injury is new, and was suffered during Saturday's scrimmage, when he was "rolled up" on. It doesn't appear to be too serious. J.J. DiLuigi (shoulder), who was also hurt Saturday, was practicing in drills, but kept out of "live" action and any contact. Rich, meantime, ducked his head out, but was in athletic shoes and spent his morning conditioning indoors.
*******
As Bronco indicated would happen, Shiloah Te'o was back at Kat safety today, running with the ones in place of Andrew Rich. Meantime, the developing story is the situation at Buck linebacker, where Te'o played last week. Today, the defensive coaches were trying out previous middle backer Brandon Ogletree at Buck, with middle backer Shane Hunter seeing most of his time at backup Mike, playing behind Matt Bauman.
*******
I asked Bronco and then linebackers coach Paul Tidwell specifically about the inside linebacker situation, which has been in flux without Terrance Hooks in the mix. The coaches are looking to establish a two-deep inside, but they are also ranking linebackers as an inside group, and Ogletree is part of the "top four" right now, so on a day when Buck depth was hampered by Shawn Doman's sore back, Ogletree was moved over, in favor of a backup Buck who might be 0utside the "top four."
Either way, Shane Hunter is getting some backup snaps at Mike, and it should be noted that as Ogletree moves around, Hooks is also able to play Mike if needs be, just as Ogletree had played some Buck before this fall.
*******
I haven't harped a great deal on BYU's injury issues, other than to report them as they happen. But it has been a rather ailment-plagued camp, and with the exception of only a couple of injuries (Johnson's concussion, for example), so few have been contact-related.
The number of groin and hamstring injuries suffered by key starters has been worrisome, since athletes and trainers will tell you that those two particular maladies tend to linger if not rested to full healing.
Certainly, BYU's training staff will err on the side of caution as it prepares the injured players for the season, but when Harvey Unga went down, it was a stark reminder that all of the caution in the world can be undone in an instant. Unga has been protected more than any other non-quarterback at camp, yet there he was, clutching the back of his leg after a play that has been run dozens of times for dozens of backs with no ill effects.
You can sense Bronco's frustration with the injury situation as you listen to his comments near the tail-end of today's post-practice interview (hear Bronco and Coach Paul Tidwell in the "Cougar Cuts" box to the upper right). The coach says "if they're going to happen, I think they're going to happen," regardless of the practice protocol. He adds "at some point, you have to play the game, and you have to be physical."
Camp Cougar, Day 14
...and more "black and blue" for the boys in blue.
August 24th, 2009 @ 12:34pm
Two more notable injuries marked the final day of two-a-days on an otherwise pleasant morning in Provo.
In a 16-period session that had the players in "shells" (helmets and shoulder pads only), RB Harvey Unga (hamstring) and FC Scott Johnson (concussion) went down and did not finish practice.
*******
Unga was hurt on an innocuous play during "skelly" (6 on 8), after catching a pass over the middle. Trainers immediately iced him up and he watched the remainder of practice, but Bronco is not concerned, saying Unga "won't be out" for the Oklahoma game.
*******
Johnson was the victim of a collision with FB Manase Tonga, who was taking part in his first padded practice since the 2007 season. Tonga turned the corner and lowered the shoulder into Johnson, who was down for at least five minutes before being helped to his feet. He spent the remainder of the "Team" session of practice in the shade with an iced towel on his neck. Bronco says even with the modern concussion guidelines, Johnson should have enough recovery time ahead of the Oklahoma game.
*******
While Andrew Rich (groin), Brian Kariya (ankle), and Vic So'oto (ankle) were not practicing, some previously injured players made it back today—at least for some drills, if not "live" segments of practice. Notably, LB Terrance Hooks (hamstring), CB Brandon Bradley (groin/hamstring) and CB Robbie Buckner (hamstring) were in pads but otherwise "eased in," spending some time in position drills, and some time conditioning.
*******
The So'oto injury is new, and was suffered during Saturday's scrimmage, when he was "rolled up" on. It doesn't appear to be too serious. J.J. DiLuigi (shoulder), who was also hurt Saturday, was practicing in drills, but kept out of "live" action and any contact. Rich, meantime, ducked his head out, but was in athletic shoes and spent his morning conditioning indoors.
*******
As Bronco indicated would happen, Shiloah Te'o was back at Kat safety today, running with the ones in place of Andrew Rich. Meantime, the developing story is the situation at Buck linebacker, where Te'o played last week. Today, the defensive coaches were trying out previous middle backer Brandon Ogletree at Buck, with middle backer Shane Hunter seeing most of his time at backup Mike, playing behind Matt Bauman.
*******
I asked Bronco and then linebackers coach Paul Tidwell specifically about the inside linebacker situation, which has been in flux without Terrance Hooks in the mix. The coaches are looking to establish a two-deep inside, but they are also ranking linebackers as an inside group, and Ogletree is part of the "top four" right now, so on a day when Buck depth was hampered by Shawn Doman's sore back, Ogletree was moved over, in favor of a backup Buck who might be 0utside the "top four."
Either way, Shane Hunter is getting some backup snaps at Mike, and it should be noted that as Ogletree moves around, Hooks is also able to play Mike if needs be, just as Ogletree had played some Buck before this fall.
*******
I haven't harped a great deal on BYU's injury issues, other than to report them as they happen. But it has been a rather ailment-plagued camp, and with the exception of only a couple of injuries (Johnson's concussion, for example), so few have been contact-related.
The number of groin and hamstring injuries suffered by key starters has been worrisome, since athletes and trainers will tell you that those two particular maladies tend to linger if not rested to full healing.
Certainly, BYU's training staff will err on the side of caution as it prepares the injured players for the season, but when Harvey Unga went down, it was a stark reminder that all of the caution in the world can be undone in an instant. Unga has been protected more than any other non-quarterback at camp, yet there he was, clutching the back of his leg after a play that has been run dozens of times for dozens of backs with no ill effects.
You can sense Bronco's frustration with the injury situation as you listen to his comments near the tail-end of today's post-practice interview (hear Bronco and Coach Paul Tidwell in the "Cougar Cuts" box to the upper right). The coach says "if they're going to happen, I think they're going to happen," regardless of the practice protocol. He adds "at some point, you have to play the game, and you have to be physical."