LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Jeff Brohm’s football injury update certainly fit the old saying as he delivered answers to Paul Rogers on his weekly radio program Tuesday: He’s too big to cry, but it hurts too much to laugh.
Brohm noted that the Cardinals have four scholarship running backs on the roster. All four are out with injuries heading into Saturday’s noon rivalry showdown with Kentucky, and the latest, sophomore Duke Watson, may need surgery.
He’s not the only one. Brohm said wideout Chris Bell will have surgery as will linebacker Antionio Meeks.
“This is just an unusual year,” Brohm told Rogers. “We’ve just, unfortunately, had some key guys go down. Some years that happens, some years it doesn’t. This is probably the most we’ve ever had in terms of key contributors. So, we’re a little shorthanded. It’s unfortunate.”
At the same time, Brohm bristled at the notion, popular on social media, that players were somehow “opting out” and being listed as injured.
“Chris got hurt in the last game (at SMU),” Brohm said. “And I give him credit. He played with his injury. He’s going to have to have surgery and miss an extended period of time, but he actually finished the game.”
“For some people that think some of our guys are opted out, that doesn’t happen. Anybody who can play is going to try to play the game. And we’re going to have multiple guys, probably, that are not even close to 100 percent, that I think will try to play come Saturday. Not that they’ll practice much, but they’ll give it a go.”
He didn’t name names. But one of those could be starting quarterback Miller Moss, who was hoping to be able to play in some capacity Saturday.
So who will play? In the case of running back, Brohm said Braxton Jennings, a freshman walk-on from Ashland Paul Blazer, will get the start. Jennings has 17 carries for 87 yards and a touchdown in three appearances this season. Shaun Boykins, a converted wideout, will get carries, too, but he may also be needed at receiver because of the attrition there. He has 15 carries for 89 yards.
Bobby Golden, a senior transfer from Akron, will step in as a kick and punt returner. He returned two punts for nine yards in the season-opener against Eastern Kentucky.
“You just go out there and you let them compete,” Brohm said. “And I just think that all these guys cherish the opportunity, and whether they're ready or not, you know, still to be determined. But they've worked hard, and it is what it is. We’ve got to figure out ways to score points and move the ball with some different lineups, but I think our guys will compete and play hard on our defense will show up and play well.”
Brohm says injuries are always a concern, and do affect game-planning and practices. He said before the season, coaches get together and identify players who, “if we get them hurt, we're in trouble.”
In general, Brohm seemed dissatisfied with the structure of the whole season. He tried to schedule a tougher non-conference game early (against Indiana, currently ranked No. 2 in the nation), but Indiana backed out. Still, Louisville did wind up playing an early game against James Madison, which is ranked.
He also didn’t care for having so many bye weeks early, but coaches don’t control that.
“It caught up with us here at the end,” he said.
But he praised his players for maintaining high spirits, and said they had a good practice on Tuesday. Their main Thanksgiving meal as a team was Wednesday. The team practiced early on Thanksgiving Day and players had the afternoon off. Coaches had many of them to their homes if they didn’t have other plans.
“You just have to ask, who are our best playmakers who are going to be available and ready for the game and how can we get them the ball?” Brohm said. “… Tough times will test your will. You’ve got to show what you're made of and come out even tougher, and hopefully it makes you stronger. We're definitely being tested now, but I but I think our guys will respond and they'll play hard.”
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