Injuries continuing to pile up for UConn football team

[Duncan Idaho]

Thanks for the critique, no offense taken. And I appreciate your thoughtful word selection, slick. I’ll make sure I reciprocate in the future. I’m still seeing my point within your logic though. A bad organization recruited undersized players and they got hurt. A bad team created a bad scenario, this is not bad luck. An athletic program made bad decisions for their football program, so now bad things have happened. Mora has brought in bigger players, but not enough. Therefore, we’ll continue to struggle until we no longer have to worry when a key player goes down. So my whole argument wasn’t about whether an underdeveloped player can withstand the demands of game time action, it was simply that good teams worry much less about key players going down, and when that happens, key players stay healthy. Michigan couldn’t care less if they lose a first stringer, they just plug in another guy and continue to win. Most of the players on those kinds of rosters end up staying healthy because of the depth. Like creates like.

They played a multitude of underdeveloped freshman and were completely overwhelmed in 2018 and this rash of injuries didn't happen.

 

[ktuck911]

They played a multitude of underdeveloped freshman and were completely overwhelmed in 2018 and this rash of injuries didn't happen.

Maybe because teams were scoring a lot quicker against us back then... we were getting scored on in less than 5 plays a clip at an alarming rate... couldn't tackle a mouse back then.. not enough time to get injured too...

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Maybe because teams were scoring a lot quicker against us back then... we were getting scored on in less than 5 plays a clip at an alarming rate... couldn't tackle a mouse back then.. not enough time to get injured too...

Visions of Boise State and...

 

[ktuck911]

Visions of Boise State and...

I'll raise you a USF... our DBs were getting smoked so bad in that game on swing passes badly.. couldn't tackle a lick... dudes getting 60+ YAC yards ... was atrocious...

 

[huskymedic]

UConn football staff searching roster for fill-ins at running back, wide receiver as injuries decimate team

As the UConn football roster continues to be depleted by injury, Mora and staff are doing whatever they can to find bodies to fill the gaps. “If there was a waiver wire right now like in the …

www.courant.com

Alternate access link here <<

 

[Iceman03]

Hello: Just look at the NCAAF part of ESPN.com. Articles of many top 25 programs losing players to season ending injuries each week. IMHI, reason is three fold. 1) Players Playing way too many months per year. Same Mechanics, Muscles, Tendons being worked too darn much. Most premier athletes used to play 3 different sports, giving different parts of their bodies a rest. 2) Players are Bigger and Faster, but they're ACLs, etc. aren't getting any stronger, they're Tendons Not Muscles. 3) The Athlete Pool is decreasing as parents of young men are Balking at putting their children in harms way letting them play football. I see it at the local level, with most but the largest public high schools forming Co-op teams just to field a team.

 

[ktuck911]

Hello: Just look at the NCAAF part of ESPN.com. Articles of many top 25 programs losing players to season ending injuries each week. IMHI, reason is three fold. 1) Players Playing way too many months per year. Same Mechanics, Muscles, Tendons being worked too darn much. Most premier athletes used to play 3 different sports, giving different parts of their bodies a rest. 2) Players are Bigger and Faster, but they're ACLs, etc. aren't getting any stronger, they're Tendons Not Muscles. 3) The Athlete Pool is decreasing as parents of young men are Balking at putting their children in harms way letting them play football. I see it at the local level, with most but the largest public high schools forming Co-op teams just to field a team.

Interesting perspective

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Hamms30]

Hello: Just look at the NCAAF part of ESPN.com. Articles of many top 25 programs losing players to season ending injuries each week. IMHI, reason is three fold. 1) Players Playing way too many months per year. Same Mechanics, Muscles, Tendons being worked too darn much. Most premier athletes used to play 3 different sports, giving different parts of their bodies a rest. 2) Players are Bigger and Faster, but they're ACLs, etc. aren't getting any stronger, they're Tendons Not Muscles. 3) The Athlete Pool is decreasing as parents of young men are Balking at putting their children in harms way letting them play football. I see it at the local level, with most but the largest public high schools forming Co-op teams just to field a team.

It seems like artificial turf plays a role into it as well. Seems like people always say athletes feet seem to "stick" into the playing surface more than on natural grass.

 

[phillionaire]

Hello: Just look at the NCAAF part of ESPN.com. Articles of many top 25 programs losing players to season ending injuries each week. IMHI, reason is three fold. 1) Players Playing way too many months per year. Same Mechanics, Muscles, Tendons being worked too darn much. Most premier athletes used to play 3 different sports, giving different parts of their bodies a rest. 2) Players are Bigger and Faster, but they're ACLs, etc. aren't getting any stronger, they're Tendons Not Muscles. 3) The Athlete Pool is decreasing as parents of young men are Balking at putting their children in harms way letting them play football. I see it at the local level, with most but the largest public high schools forming Co-op teams just to field a team.

Not to be pedantic but the ACL isn't a tendon, it's a ligament (anterior cruciate ligament) but I agree with your premise.

 

[businesslawyer]

Not to be pedantic but the ACL isn't a tendon, it's a ligament (anterior cruciate ligament) but I agree with your premise.

Has anyone ever said "not be to pedantic" without then being pedantic? Just asking.

 

[SubbaBub]

You don't think it is luck but it is also bad luck?

I guess you missed the joke. FB is game where you can either take the physical beatings or you can't. Better players have proven they can over time against bigger stronger opponents.

The players we recruit haven't played at that level so it is more likely that we sign players that can't hold up. That's not a knock, it's just unknowable.

So, it's not all luck, but luck is involved. Internet...words...confusing...yada yada.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Players on other teams get hurt also.

 

[freescooter]

Interesting perspective

I think there is at least something to this perspective. My sister, who has coached state champions teams in softball, swimming and tennis in her career (not in Connecticut) says she has seen it among girls, in the 25 years she has been coaching. When she started out the top athletes played maybe soccer in the fall, then swam for her then played softball come Spring. Now the soccer players play year round for clubs, the swimmers swim for clubs out of season, and the softball players play fall ball and some indoor softball in the winter. And they were late to the game. She says boys teams started it maybe 15 years ago, beginning with soccer and basketball. Now it has spread to other sports of both sexes.

 

[UConnJim]

I guess you missed the joke. FB is game where you can either take the physical beatings or you can't. Better players have proven they can over time against bigger stronger opponents.

The players we recruit haven't played at that level so it is more likely that we sign players that can't hold up. That's not a knock, it's just unknowable.

So, it's not all luck, but luck is involved. Internet...words...confusing...yada yada.

You really need to drop this narrative as it is not true and I really don't understand where you are coming up with it. Most UConn football players have played against high level competition in high school and the injuries are generally not contact related. Tearing ACLs are generally not related to physicality, contact or level of competition. And, the most physical positions, the lines and LBs have not experienced injury problems.

Using your logic, why weren't there more injuries in 2020, 2019, and 2018?

 

[BigTenFan]

You really need to drop this narrative as it is not true and I really don't understand where you are coming up with it. Most UConn football players have played against high level competition in high school and the injuries are generally not contact related. Tearing ACLs are generally not related to physicality, contact or level of competition. And, the most physical positions, the lines and LBs have not experienced injury problems.

Using your logic, why weren't there more injuries in 2020, 2019, and 2018?

No injuries in 2020- they never played....

 

[noeynox]

You really need to drop this narrative as it is not true and I really don't understand where you are coming up with it. Most UConn football players have played against high level competition in high school and the injuries are generally not contact related. Tearing ACLs are generally not related to physicality, contact or level of competition. And, the most physical positions, the lines and LBs have not experienced injury problems.

Using your logic, why weren't there more injuries in 2020, 2019, and 2018?

How about broken feet? Can the feet of our recruits not take the pounding of the feet the top prospects take?

 

[LIUCHusky]

You really need to drop this narrative as it is not true and I really don't understand where you are coming up with it. Most UConn football players have played against high level competition in high school and the injuries are generally not contact related. Tearing ACLs are generally not related to physicality, contact or level of competition. And, the most physical positions, the lines and LBs have not experienced injury problems.

Using your logic, why weren't there more injuries in 2020, 2019, and 2018?

I couldn’t agree more. Subba Bub was beyond reality with his narrative.

 

[RC111]

You really need to drop this narrative as it is not true and I really don't understand where you are coming up with it. Most UConn football players have played against high level competition in high school and the injuries are generally not contact related. Tearing ACLs are generally not related to physicality, contact or level of competition. And, the most physical positions, the lines and LBs have not experienced injury problems.

Using your logic, why weren't there more injuries in 2020, 2019, and 2018?

I've had 3 ACL tears. One from artificial turf and 2 from skinny guys karate-style jumping into my legs in sloppy soccer tackles. Didn't matter how strong my legs were -- when someone hits the side of your knee at full speed it's likely going to give. (I agree that that's likely not about size. Ligament injuries are usually from a freak misstep or just luck with contact.)

 

[Patman]

I think there is at least something to this perspective. My sister, who has coached state champions teams in softball, swimming and tennis in her career (not in Connecticut) says she has seen it among girls, in the 25 years she has been coaching. When she started out the top athletes played maybe soccer in the fall, then swam for her then played softball come Spring. Now the soccer players play year round for clubs, the swimmers swim for clubs out of season, and the softball players play fall ball and some indoor softball in the winter. And they were late to the game. She says boys teams started it maybe 15 years ago, beginning with soccer and basketball. Now it has spread to other sports of both sexes.

This has been said for quite awhile and I like the the argument around it. Other activities let the other supporting muscularture build or some such. Similar idea might be that you prevent overuse and fatigue.

Football culture has always been a culture of "overdoing it". Weightlifting culture basically says "there's only so much you can do even at the elite level". Football for a long time has gotten away with physically abusing elite talent because elite talent can take an above average beating and coaches don't know the difference between training and beating the crap out of elite talent. however, a lot of football is creating the mindset to break through mental safeguards for better or for worse.

Also like the idea of not being able to make certain parts of the body stronger. i don't know how much of that is true or false but yeah, muscles are not tendons are not ligaments. When are we overdoing it and leaving people prone to injury. I like the idea but unsure what that means. Either way not unique to UConn and likely far better than 20-30-50 years ago.

edit: that being said, RC111's point. Weird angles plus a lot of weight is going to defeat all your strength training prevention, sadly. Sometimes that's just going to happen. Tom Brady's leg injury that put him out for the year. What can you do about it? Not much. I mean we've seen elite athletes take injuries from the sidelines and these people are supposed to be the peak of fitness.

Still a lot of very situational questions. Getting injured in training, IMO, should be avoided. That would be my bias.

 

[huskymedic]

Confirmation:

 

[huskymedic]

Update on Kaleb Anthony’s injury from Saturday:

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Lol now you’re getting it! Alright I concede, my post was stupid. Been listening to too many podcasts with Aaron Rodgers on it. How about this?… When it rains, it sure does pour for our huskies…?

Best of luck with that boss by the way, I have one just like her. And F BCU and the Fruit

On with the topic of convo

I actually really like my boss. I was just being a little absurd to make my point.

 

[Jimdish255]

I've had 3 ACL tears. One from artificial turf and 2 from skinny guys karate-style jumping into my legs in sloppy soccer tackles. Didn't matter how strong my legs were -- when someone hits the side of your knee at full speed it's likely going to give. (I agree that that's likely not about size. Ligament injuries are usually from a freak misstep or just luck with contact.)

Ouch! -how are those knees doing?

 

[RC111]

Ouch! -how are those knees doing?

They're... still attached to my legs.

Arthritis in both since my twenties, but a top-notch doc said I might make it to 40 without replacing one!!