Yes, football is back, and with it come the mixed emotions of hope for the future and fear of what may or may not happen to some of the players you and your team are depending on for success during the upcoming season.
As much as I love and look forward to football every year, I equally loathe the weeks of training camp which while fraught with intrigue regarding incoming freshmen or rookies, are also a month long gauntlet of unforeseen injuries for existing and budding superstars vital to winning games.
Yesterday, we learned that Oregon Duck offensive tackle Tyler Johnstone had torn his ACL during practice sometime last week. Johnstone tore the same ligament in the Alamo Bowl versus Texas more than 7 months ago and had been on pace to start versus South Dakota week one. Now he’ll miss the remainder of the season he never got to see, and Oregon will be without their best lineman whose primary job was to protect the blindside of Heisman hopeful Marcus Mariota.
Good news? Far from it and sadly the type of information Duck, Beaver, Seahawk and any other fan base hope to avoid for far-too-many painstaking weeks of practice prior to the time that really counts. Sure, guys have to get in shape and hone their craft before stepping on the field for live competition, but with every passing year it seems what should be a gradual progression towards “the real thing,” becomes a white-knuckle roller coaster with too many chills minus the proper share of thrills to level it out.
Of course amidst the strains, breaks, and ligament tears which inevitably rear their ugly heads, there are the highs that come with reports of the type of game-breaking newcomers fanatics anxiously await, who carry with them the hopes of what could be. Legends are born during the waning months of recruiting, but it’s August which turn myths into reality, and it’s that reality that often elevates even the lowliest of fan base’s pessimistic perspectives.
Jacquizz Rodgers became “Quizz” during training camp. DeAnthony Thomas became “DAT” during training camp. And Russell Wilson went from a “sleeper talent” in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft to a legitimate starter and future Super Bowl champion during training camp. Every team has “those guys,” and every year the most dedicated of fans anxiously await the verdict of the hyped-up players training camp tends to ferret out.
Royce Freeman is turning heads in Eugene. Jordan Villaman’s size at receiver is reaching legendary status in Corvallis. And I’m sure Washington, Washington State, and every other team going through 2-a-days right now have equally high expectations of a player or two new to their scene. That’s the exciting part of this time of year, but it’s the Johnstone scenario that keeps me awake nights, and it’s the endless possibility of it happening to one of “yours” that makes August the obstacle course football fans have to maneuver through.
True, I can’t wait for football, but I’m equally interested in simply seeing training camp in my rearview mirror … and you should too.
Good luck!
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