AM Camp Update: Collie out with stress fracture
Updated 1 p.m. Saturday
Junior receiver Austin Collie will see limited action during BYU’s fall camp after tests on Friday confirmed a stress fracture in the leg.
Collie situation could be out a few weeks, maybe more. We will find out more during interviews this afternoon with Collie, Mendenhall and trainer Kevin Morris. It may not be any indication of his case or when the injury happened, but Collie, his father Scott and a host of BYU football players including Max Hall were at Sleepy Ridge golf course in Orem mid-week for one last fling.
According to Dave Strunk, who checked the group in, Collie was anxious and excited to play and his father, Scott, was surprised Strunk remembered him from his days playing with Jim McMahon. “I told him I remember him having a deep thigh bruise that was hurting,” said Strunk.
Collie was not on crutches at the golf course that day. I’m no doctor, but I believe Collie is in pain, had it checked out on Friday during physicals and discovered the cause, a stress fracture. I believe if BYU played the opener in two weeks, Collie would play in the game. Just a guess.
If the guess is wrong, the conservative position is that Collie should keep weight off the injury for four to six weeks and ensure every avenue is explored for a full recover.
BYU’s practices are closed. The public is invited to attend an open practice on Thursday, Aug. 7 from 10 a.m. until noon. This is the first day the team will be in full pads.
There were 24 newcomers reporting to camp this weekend with a series of meetings and orientations taking place Friday. This morning, at 6 a.m., coach Jay Omer surpervised testing of players in some rigorous conditioning drills. A rookie practice is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., followed by a veterans camp.
QUOTE: Bronco Mendenhall speaking to new players and their
parents Friday: “You’ll find this is not just about playing football. If you think this is just about playing football, then you weren’t listening during the recruiting process. You’ll find this is not like any other program. We know you have talent and that you can play football. But the truly great thing about our program is that it matters how you use that talent to influence the lives of others, how you help to shape people’s lives.”
RISING: QB Max Hall is a rookie no more. “He’s competitive and has that fire and the ability to make things happen outside the system,” said Mendenhall. “I expect him to be more confident, more consistent and while he made big plays by going outside the system at times, I think he will be more settled into the role this year.”
FALLING: Absent from the group of players expected to report today were receiver Atem Bol and running back Seta Pohahau. Mendenhall said Bol is planning to attend Snow College while Pohahau will look to enroll at BYU in January. Mendenhall also said junior college transfer Bernard Afuiti will not be able to practice until the necessary academic paperwork has been received from his junior college.
INJURY UPDATE: Collie isn’t the only expected starter to be limited as camp begins. Starting middle linebacker Matt Bauman banged up his foot in a scooter accident and will be “slowed” initially, according to the press report. A pre-camp report printed in today’s Deseret News listed Afuiti as a player who would take the field. Linebacker Grant Nelson is expected to miss the 2008 season after battling an illness that will require surgery.
EXTRA POINTS:
While tight end recruit Austin Holt will be leaving this month for a two-year mission in St. Louis, Missouri, fellow classmate Jake Murphy has received his mission call to Sydney, Australia. Murphy, the son of Atlanta Braves All-Star Dale Murphy, will report to the Missionary Training Center in December.