Diehard Jock: The injury bug biting teams early in 2008
By Scott Ford
Monday, September 8, 2008 11:24 AM PDT
Just two weeks into the high school prep football season and several area teams are dealing with issues.
Those issues are in the form of injured players and for some a short bench to choose from.
Ontario entered its game against Grant Union with a both of its defensive ends out of commission. Fruitland saw its starting quarterback go down with a concussion, and Weiser lost a stud lineman with a bad knee, just to name a few.
The injury bug also hit the NFL. Tom Brady is possibly done for the season, Seattle had two players take a dive in Maurice Morris and Nate Burleson, Tennessee’s Vince Young might be on the shelf for two-to-four weeks with a banged up knee.
Injuries, are a coaches worst nightmare.
Locally, the coaches that are dealing with the issue will have to look to younger less experienced players to step up and get the job done.
Just the break these players need to showcase their talents.
At the professional level, the replacement issue is not as dramatic in most cases, because the No. 2 guys are usually pretty good, and do get plenty of action.
But in the case of a quarterback going down, i.e. Brady, Young and Fruitland’s Stringfield, the replacement process could have huge effects.
As for Fruitland, they will lean on R.J. Edwards to get the job done, while Stringfield clears the cobwebs.
New England will go with Matt Cassel — who has not started a football game since he was in high school.
Tennessee could lean on veteran Kerry Collins, but reports are saying the Titans have been on the phone shopping.
Injuries will happen, but it is how the team responds to them that will tell the tale. Hopefully, the local teams will rebound and move on.
