Career ending injury for Josh McNeil

#1

kevol80

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#1
Kiffin says that he doesn't expect McNeil to play for the Vols again because of the knee injury and that it looks like Josh may not be able to ever play again because of the extent of the injury -Terrible, terrible news. Prayers go out to this young man.
 
#4
#4
I am so sorry to hear this and wish the very best for that young man.
 
#6
#6
Has anyone seen mentioned why it is career ending, and not just college career ending? I've seen him listed high on Kiper's board, so I figured the NFL would be a posssibility.
 
#8
#8
Josh has injured the same knee repeatedly. Basically it could be career ending because once the cartilage is all gone and it is bone on bone, you cannot physically do the things you need to do to play in the NFL.
 
#9
#9
So sorry to hear this about such a great Vol. I know it is hard to believe, but something good will come out of this for everyone concerned.
 
#11
#11
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle">McNeil's future in doubt </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
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</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle"> <script type="text/javascript">var author = escape("Randy Moore");</script> By Randy Moore

Posted Sep 1, 2009
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Senior center Josh McNeil's shot at playing for the Tennessee football team this fall appears to be a real long-shot. So says head coach Lane Kiffin.
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"There's a good chance Josh won't be playing for us and probably won't play football ever again, unfortunately," Kiffin said during his weekly news conference. "If that's the case, we've been excited to be around Josh. "It's a big blow to us - to lose somebody with 35 straight starts, up front especially. Only two players touch the ball on every snap, the center and the quarterback, so to lose him has been very difficult for us to deal with - from a football standpoint but also from a mental standpoint, as far as our team (losing) a leader."
With McNeil out - at least for the foreseeable future - Tennessee's first-team center will be 6-1, 260-pound Cody Sullins, a former walk-on who saw mop-up action in just two 2008 games and three 2007 games. He is backed up by his twin brother Cory, a 6-1, 270-pound senior, and Carson Anderson, a 6-2, 267-pound redshirt freshman.
McNeil, a 6-4, 290-pound senior from Collins, Miss., has battled chronic knee problems throughout his career. His latest injury occurred nearly two weeks ago and has not responded to treatment or rest. He recently underwent an arthroscopic surgery to repair some of the damage.
"They (doctors) cleaned it up some," Kiffin said. "Now they're looking at a longer surgery to go back and do some more stuff - a surgery that would take a long time to even have because of the things they'd have to get to have the surgery done."
There's no good news to report on wide receiver Gerald Jones, either. The 6-0, 199-pound junior - UT's leader with 30 catches last fall - will not play in Saturday's opener vs. Western Kentucky and appears very doubtful for Game 2 vs. UCLA because of a high-ankle sprain suffered in UT's Aug. 22 scrimmage.
"He's not close (to returning)," Kiffin said. "It would not be the next couple of games. The hope would be Florida (Game 3) but there's nothing saying he's going to be back by then."
Still more bad news: Two Vol reserves are sidelined due to injuries sustained in last Saturday's situational scrimmage - sophomore tailback Tauren Poole (concussion) and sophomore tight end Ben Bartholomew (high-ankle sprain).
Kiffin said Poole is "questionable for today's practice" and that Bartholomew is "questionable for the game."
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#15
#15
Truly sorry to hear this.

We may be bitter rivals but when it comes to the health of the players, we're all on the same team.

Best wishes for a quick recovery, Mr. McNeil.
 
#18
#18
His knees were about gone even before this injury. Thanks for your contribution Josh! Now, finish up that degree...
 
#21
#21
Hate to hear this. By the sounds of it the kid was really starting to mature and was starting to get to the point to where he was maximizing his potential.

Here's to hoping this isn't the end for him.
 
#22
#22
So sorry to note this as "career"ending. I think Josh truly gave his all for Tennessee and appreciate the hell out of it...like Inky and others before him. My guess is, he has the character to turn chiken sh-- into chikcen salad and will be very very successful in LIFE after football, but I do hate it for a young man who was probably one of the most promising O line men 4 or 5 years ago in high school.

Josh if you are out there/on here...thanks.
 
#23
#23
Really hate to hear that for Josh. I was a center in high school as well. All my best to you Josh. I know you love the Big Orange.
 
#24
#24
I really hate this news for him. I also hate that our depth on the O line is going down the toilet.

I am bracing myself for disappointment. Hoping for the best
 

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