The Headline in the sports section today in the Honolulu Advertiser read "Warrior RB Ilaoa suffers heel injury". Here is the artical.
Despite an injured left heel, University of Hawai'i running back Nate Ilaoa expects to play in Saturday's regular-season finale against Oregon State.
Ilaoa suffered the injury when he was gang-tackled at the end of an 8-yard run with 6:58 to play. Ilaoa fumbled on the play.
"I planted (the left foot) on the turf, and I had a lot of guys on my back," Ilaoa said. "They drove my heel into the turf."
On the play, his helmet slipped, causing his left contact lens to pop out. Ilaoa said he also was "poked in the eye" on the play.
Yesterday, Ilaoa wore a medical boot on his left foot. He was limping.
He was diagnosed with a "heel contusion," and was placed on the "no practice" list.
But Ilaoa dismissed it as a "bruised heel," and said it would not prevent him from playing.
"It's nothing bad," Ilaoa said. "I should be good by Saturday."
Against Purdue, Ilaoa rushed 12 times for a career-high 159 yards and two touchdowns. He caught seven passes for 52 yards.
Ilaoa is on pace to become the first Warrior to rush for 1,000 yards in a season during June Jones' eight years as UH head coach.
In 11 games, he has rushed for 845 yards, an average of 8.0 yards per carry, and 12 touchdowns. He also has caught five scoring passes, giving him 17 touchdowns and 102 points.
He leads the Warriors with 1,559 all-purpose yards, a category that includes rushes, receptions and returns.