Too Many Significant Injuries . Where they Cannot Be Afforded

Football Insider Board
#1

The 2016 season hasn’t begun and the Hogs are already in trouble.

The defensive secondary is already falling apart; this is the group that was the worst in the SEC in 2015 because of depth issues. Now they’re facing three injuries, two are major to the CBs. The obvious starting RB has re-injured a foot that has been problematic. The next in line is returning from a serious neck injury. One of the two new RB recruits is already injured. There is no solid #4. Key injuries to the “backs” proliferate. Green shirts abound. At QB, no solid #2 exists, and we feature an inexperienced #1.

I was hoping for 9 wins, but I no longer believe it’s a realistic expectation. Now I wonder if a bowl game is feasible.

In three weeks the Hogs will face a road game against a top 15 team that features a former QB who was regarded two years ago as a Heisman hopeful.

Others may think the sky is not falling, but the facts scream concern.

Gosh it’s hard building a team in the SEC W.

#2
  1. Losing Tutt for the year stings a bit, but the other two CBs will be back at full strength soon. It all still boils down to how much better they can be with improved coaching and a better pass rush. If we get one more season ending injury to a CB, then we have to start scrambling around, but for now it’s manageable. There are not many teams in the country that don’t have concerns about thinning depth somewhere.
  2. Walker was not going to be the starter except maybe as a symbolic thing. Williams and Whaley will be fine by all reports, with Duwop giving them a change of pace. The key here is we are finally two deep at fullback, which makes a big difference in how the running game gels as the year progresses. Walker will still get touches, but they know you can’t give him the ball 100 times during the year and expect him to stay healthy, because of the amount of contact he absorbs with his running style. Remember we did well last year with one healthy true RB and Walker in relief for much of the season.
#3

It’s a little early for this kind of post, in my opinion.

Kody Walker is not an obvious starting running back, as you state. In fact, foot injury or none, he was going to get the third-most carries this season behind Rawleigh Williams and Devwah Whaley. Now if one of those get hurt, there may be reason to panic.

As for the secondary, Jared Collins is not going to miss any playing time and DJ Dean may be back as soon as the TCU game.

In terms of key contributors and severity, the only significant injury this preseason is the one to Britto Tutt.

#4

We’ve been here before
We’re back here again
Short handed once more
And expected to win

How nice it would be
To have ALL of our players
Injury free
Negating naysayers
But that’s not what fate
Has presented to us
My hopes have lost weight
And are now in a truss

            :cry:
#5