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Interesting take on Jonathan Gray's recovery ..

BudreauReye

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Johnathan Gray Recovery News - Will He Be Ready?

By Scipio Tex on Jul 11 2014, 3:05p, BarkingCarnival

"Showing irresponsible optimism because I can.

 

It felt like it was coming together for Johnathan Gray in the West Virginia game.  He was making great cuts early on, cruising along at 7 yards a carry (8-56) and seemed well on his way to a 150+ yard rushing day until...

...pop.

 

Season over.  To an injury more feared than its namesake.  Achilles.

Projecting comebacks from an Achilles injury is nearly impossible.  Some athletes are never the same, others return on schedule but as a shadow of themselves, some bounce back effectively without missing a beat.  Centrifuges in Germany are making the latter outcome increasingly common.

Gray will certainly be back.  But at 100%?  80%?  70%?  Will he be able to do this?

We need a RB who can do that.  Malcolm Brown came up big last year, but a game breaker he is not.  Our offense needs versatility and the Brown/Bergeron effect on a defense is largely duplicative.  Daje Johnson is so deep in the doghouse that he takes Heartgard pills dipped in peanut butter.  Gray makes this offense better - slashing on inside zone, out of the backfield catching passes and serving as a high character team leader.

Did you know that there's a publication called Lower Extremity Review Magazine?  Of course you did.  Surprisingly, it's not pornography.

Their research is sobering:

So please keep the above in mind when I tell you that Johnathan Gray has been a full participant in summer 7 on 7 workouts.  Sprinting, cutting, jumping, catching.  Full speed.  Looking good.  Fast, quick, decisive.  Clean, crisp routes etc.

Of the 31 players who sustained an Achilles tendon rupture, 21 (64%) returned to play in the NFL at an average of 11 months after injury. In the three seasons following their return, those 21 players saw significant      decreases in games played and power ratings compared to the three seasons preceding the injury.

The percentage of players returning to play at the NFL level is consistent with a meta-analysis performed by Bhandari4 in 2002. The authors reported return to function rates of 63% for patients treated nonoperatively and 71% for those treated operatively. This difference could be attributed to the excessive demands placed on the operatively repaired Achilles tendon in NFL players combined with a body size, strength, and explosiveness that would further increase these demands.

The length of time to allow full activity after Achilles tendon repair is generally thought to be four to six months.4-6 The 11 months needed to return to play as a professional football player seems considerably longer. However, there is a major difference between allowing full activity and returning to play in the NFL. Even when the typical patient is allowed to participate in full activity, it does not mean that he or she is adequately rehabilitated to perform at maximal efforts.

Do with that information what thou will."










 
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I'm conflicted on whether Gray should redshirt. 

Medical advances in sports recovery have really changed. When Terrell Suggs came back 5 months after an Achilles Tendon tear that really opened my eyes. These type injuries normally linger but medical advances have really fast tracked recovery on these type things. A few years ago everyone would be questioning if Gray is truly healthy, but with medical advances he might very well be.

On the other hand, I wouldn't mind Gray redshirting. Not worth the risk to injure yourself again if not fully healthy, and that would make Gray available in 2015. IMO we are fine at RB without Gray.  Brown, Daje, Bergeron and Overstreet. I have a feeling Daje is going to see more touches in the backfield this year. That's where Daje was best his Freshman year and I think he's underutilized unless you give him some touches in the backfield. 

 
Apples and oranges to the Nth degree, but I wish rosey leaks would have sat out 74 and come back near full strength in 75 .

I know... Different injuries, time frames, advancements in medicine. But this kinda feels the same.

 
At the end of the day, its his career and his choice to play if he is medically cleared to do so. 

 
I have an acquaintance that worked with Roosevelt Leaks in the General Land Office for years.  Leaks was never going to come back anywhere near to his prior status no matter how long he sat out.  His injury destroyed his knee.  Hopefully Gray's injury is different and modern medical treatment will accentuate his recovery.  I will celebrate his every carry.

 
Whisenant... Agreed.

Budreaureye...thanks for your info. Too bad . Rosey was a bad man.
Yes he was.  It may just be rosey remembry, but I think that without that injury, Rosey may have been the best running back at Texas ever.  Of course, I have always been partial to the Jim Brown, Calvin Hill, Roosevelt Leaks,  Earl Campbell. Ricky Williams kind of running back.  ;)    Hmmm!  Notice how many of those played at Texas!  Jeebus!  I think I am a Homer!  ;)

 
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Leaks tore his ACL in 1974 spring training and missed playing his senior year at Texas.  Fall of 1974 was Campbell's freshman year and Marty Akins' junior year. Had he not been injured, Leaks would have stayed at FB and Campbell would have been one of the HBs in the Wishbone.  That would have been one helluva backfield!        

EDIT CORRECTION: Leaks did not miss his senior year, upon further investigation he rushed for 409 yards in limited duty and hampered by injuries.  He went on to a nine year NFL career with the Colts and Bills. Unfortunately, was never the same after his ACL injury in spring of 1974. Had he been healthy in 1974, for his senior year, likely could have won the Heisman, as he was a favorite to do so before his ACL injury. Man, he was a powerful beast up the middle with the football! I bet the SMU DL of 1973 still have nightmares about him...he ran for 342 yards against them in Texas/SMU 1973 game.  

 
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Leaks tore his ACL in 1974 spring training and missed playing his senior year at Texas.  Fall of 1974 was Campbell's freshman year and Marty Akins' junior year. Had he not been injured, Leaks would have stayed at FB and Campbell would have been one of the HBs in the Wishbone.  That would have been one helluva backfield!        
It would have been an abundance of riches!  ;)

 
Texas will have a great RB group this year and watch out if the OL comes together.....Hook'em

 
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Apparently Jonathan tore his achilles again working out Monday to get ready for the Texas pro day/draft. Terrible news for that guy. Hope he recovers and keeps chasing his dream.

 
Apparently Jonathan tore his achilles again working out Monday to get ready for the Texas pro day/draft. Terrible news for that guy. Hope he recovers and keeps chasing his dream.
Same Achilles?

 
I wondered the same thing, Mike. Was it the same one?

It's easy to look back and say he woulda, coulda, shoulda, but JGray was never the same back as he was before the first Achilles tear. I don't think he was even close. Would a redshirt have helped him? Could he have returned to his old form if he sat out 2014? Probably in hindsight, yes he should have. I hope for a speedy recovery for him. Players have come back from worse injuries to have productive NFL careers, like Willis McGahee and Fozzy Whitaker, but the Achilles is apparently much more difficult to come back from than knee injuries.  

 
You can successfully come back from an Achilles but it takes time. Been there done that with my right one. Took me two years to really feel right again but then again, I was 39 when mine blew up. Wish J Gray nothing but the best and with the work ethic he has I hope a speedy rehab.

 
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