FB | For now, Carter stays away from contact as practice ends
By Andy McCullough and Matt Gelb
Posted: 4/20/08, 10:19 PM EST Section: Sports
Delone Carter smiled, like a kid who couldn't keep a secret. Yes, the tailback had been held out from full contact during Saturday's Spring Game. But that wouldn't be the case for long.
"I mean, I'm going to be out there," the rising redshirt sophomore said. "Today was that last day of me not receiving any contact. Once we get back at it, I'll be back out there."
That's good news for the Orange as it heads into offseason workouts.
Carter rushed for 713 yards that season and appeared to be the favorite to carry the load going into 2007. That was until he dislocated his hip during the spring. A year of rehab followed.
The former Mr. Ohio is just getting back to where he was. Carter took a few handoffs during a "thud" drill before the scrimmage. A yellow penny covered his jersey.
"I think with Delone, if I said he could go right now, in his mind, he is ready to go," head coach Greg Robinson said. "What we've done is err on the side of caution in regards to him."
The running back situation is muddled as spring practice comes to a close. Rising sophomore Doug Hogue got the bulk of the carries Saturday, but that doesn't hold much water now. Carter waits in the wings, as do rising senior Curtis Brinkley and freshman Averin Collier.
Collier is still nursing the foot he fractured during spring practice and did not participate on Saturday. Brinkley, himself recovering from a broken leg last season, wore a penny like Carter and ran the ball during the pre-scrimmage drills.
Brinkley just started taking reps in practice a week ago and is about 80 to 90 percent healthy, Robinson said.
"I saw one play yesterday that looked like him," he said. "But I saw another play later in the afternoon where the stamina wasn't there. And that takes time to build up."
Still, Robinson said, the running back situation is strong. Carter is a part of that.
"It's been a whole year since my injury," Carter said. "That's what I needed to come back fully. They just want me to fulfill the term."
"I mean, I'm going to be out there," the rising redshirt sophomore said. "Today was that last day of me not receiving any contact. Once we get back at it, I'll be back out there."
That's good news for the Orange as it heads into offseason workouts.
Carter rushed for 713 yards that season and appeared to be the favorite to carry the load going into 2007. That was until he dislocated his hip during the spring. A year of rehab followed.
The former Mr. Ohio is just getting back to where he was. Carter took a few handoffs during a "thud" drill before the scrimmage. A yellow penny covered his jersey.
"I think with Delone, if I said he could go right now, in his mind, he is ready to go," head coach Greg Robinson said. "What we've done is err on the side of caution in regards to him."
The running back situation is muddled as spring practice comes to a close. Rising sophomore Doug Hogue got the bulk of the carries Saturday, but that doesn't hold much water now. Carter waits in the wings, as do rising senior Curtis Brinkley and freshman Averin Collier.
Collier is still nursing the foot he fractured during spring practice and did not participate on Saturday. Brinkley, himself recovering from a broken leg last season, wore a penny like Carter and ran the ball during the pre-scrimmage drills.
Brinkley just started taking reps in practice a week ago and is about 80 to 90 percent healthy, Robinson said.
"I saw one play yesterday that looked like him," he said. "But I saw another play later in the afternoon where the stamina wasn't there. And that takes time to build up."
Still, Robinson said, the running back situation is strong. Carter is a part of that.
"It's been a whole year since my injury," Carter said. "That's what I needed to come back fully. They just want me to fulfill the term."
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Matt
posted 4/21/08 @ 7:43 PM EST
To the writers of this story; the yellow thing worn by the running backs recovering from injury is a pinny, not a penny.
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