Is Conditioning an Issue?

I’ll be honest. I don’t read detailed reports for teams other than the Bulls and Gators. When it comes to most of the other schools out there, I know what most people can get from any of the major news sources. But when it comes to USF and UF, I try to dig a little deeper to find out what’s going on, so I’m much more aware of practice notes, injury reports, depth charts, etc. Therefore, I have to ask, is this going on in other programs?

I’m referring to UF’s recent avalanche of knee injuries. At this point, everyone knows the Gators have lost 5 players to torn ACLs. To me that number is high for one full season, let alone just during fall practice. But is it just because I follow UF so closely that I’m only aware of their situation?

If you look at the players who have been lost to this injury; one was a star, one was a probable starter, one would have been a contributor, and two were backups. A star on any team gets injured and we’re going to hear about it. A starter goes down…same thing. A highly touted incoming freshman…most likely. A backup further down the depth chart…maybe not. I’m not sure what’s going on at the Oregons and Pitts of the world, but I can’t imagine another program experiencing this. So the next question that has to be asked is, is there a conditioning issue?

I’m not a doctor, but I know tearing an ACL can be a complete freak occurrence. A player can land wrong or make a quick turn and suddenly pop. But according to ehealthMD, ACL ruptures occur at a rate of 6 out of every 10,000 people per year – a rate the UF football team has flown by in only a few weeks. Obviously a player can get hit and suffer this injury, but the Gators have lost a few of their players during non-contact drills. I’m all for practicing hard and getting ready for the season, but is there a point where you have to hold back? I’d say 5 players in one offseason is past that point.

Here’s a rundown of the 5 lost Gators:

Cornelius Ingram, TE – Ingram has been a key part of the offense and was going to continue to be in 2008. The senior was on pace to break UF’s all-time reception record for tight ends. Not a typical blocking TE, Ingram was able to stretch defenses by lining up in the slot and creating a number of mismatches. There aren’t any options to replace exactly what he brought to the offense and the Gators will have to use different players in different situations.

Dorian Munroe, S – Munroe was projected to start opposite Major Wright. Although the safety position has some talented alternatives – Ahmad Black, Will Hill – the biggest issue here is depth. Black is moving from cornerback and played sparingly in 2007, and Hill is a true freshman. UF has already had to move 2 players over from offense to work out at safety and can’t afford to lose anyone else.

Brendan Beal, LB – On one hand, Beal was slotted to be the backup to one of the best middle linebackers in the country, so with Brandon Spikes getting the majority of the plays, Beal would not be asked to start. On the other, Brandon Hicks had been moved to the outside in part due to Beal’s rapid development. Beal was not going to redshirt and would’ve contributed immediately. With Spikes departure after this year all but guaranteed, it would’ve been nice if Beal had some real game experience going into 2009.

Jim Barrie, OL – Barrie is a personal favorite of mine – being the first football player I can remember going from my high school to a big-time college program – but he was going to be nothing more than a backup. With the offensive line one of the strongest units on the team and good depth at each position, it’s unlikely Barrie would’ve seen much playing time.

John Curtis, S – Curtis contributions came primarily on special teams. He likely wouldn’t have seen much time at safety, but again depth is the issue here with Munroe gone for the season as well and Bryan Thomas banged up.