By Kirk Bohls
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, October 10, 2002
Cedric Benson may take every snap Saturday against Oklahoma. He may carry the ball 35, 40 times against the Sooners, lift his teammates on his broad shoulders and haul them to a program-defining victory.
If he does, it'll be all the more impressive because Benson is hurt.
The Texas running back suffered a turf toe on his left foot against North Texas. That's slang for a painful sprain of the base of the toe. He reaggravated it Saturday against Oklahoma State.
It's a toe, you say. What's the big deal?
Well, it's the big toe on arguably the biggest player in the biggest game of the year. And it's what power backs push off on, what gives them their cutback ability and elusiveness. That big toe has helped Benson rush for 622 yards -- 124 yards a game -- and score five touchdowns this season.
A big toe can put a big 205-pounder on the bench. Texas needs him on the field, at his best.
"It's hard to walk. It's hard to do anything," Benson told me this week. "It hurts when I put pressure on it. It's hard to practice."
But he is practicing, and he will play. Pressed further, Benson said, "Excluding my toe, I'd say I'm 95 percent."
He didn't give a percentage on his health including his toe, but it's fair to say the two are inseparable.
Turf toes have been known to sideline players for months, if not entire seasons. Turf toe just ended St. Louis Rams cornerback Aeneas Williams' streak of 177 consecutive starts. Cincinnati shortstop Barry Larkin had surgery to correct turf toe last month. Turf toe made Deion Sanders a mortal cornerback in 1998 and required surgery the following spring.
Turf toe is a big deal.
And if Benson's bumming, then it's hardly a stretch to think the Longhorn offense may be bumming as well. When you couple that with split end Roy Williams' nagging hamstring, well, last year's three points against OU suddenly sounds like a bonanza.
Any way you slice it, this is not good news. For the most important game of the season, you even want the ballboy hale and hearty. Mack Brown needs everyone on deck.
Asked if the injury will hurt Benson's effectiveness, Texas trainer Tom McVan said, "I don't know. I couldn't grade that. I would say Cedric's a real tough kid."
Unlike some players with the condition, Benson is choosing not to wear a turf toe protective plate. In all likelihood, he won't get better all year.
"If he can go a few games without banging it. . ." said McVan, who is discounting potential surgery. "I wouldn't even go that far. It's more of a nuisance."
Who knows how Brown and his coaching staff feel about Benson's toe. By federal law, they are not allowed to offer comment. Prayer, however, is legal. Probably encouraged.
Because without a healthy Benson, Texas -- which must run the ball to win -- is not the same team.
Without Benson, Texas loses a distinct advantage over Oklahoma, which has three good backs and should rely more on its best back, Kejuan Jones. Without Benson, the entire burden could fall to quarterback Chris Simms as it did last year.
Texas ran for a season-low 27 yards and lost 14-3. That was not unlike the Big 12 championship game against Colorado, when Benson suffered that bruised nerve in his neck in the second quarter after rushing for 79 yards on only 13 carries. Without him, the Longhorns finished with 92 yards rushing and lost 39-37.
If Benson had to sit, the running game would be left to freshman Selvin Young and junior Ivan Williams.
Young is a special talent, a more explosive and faster Quentin Griffin. But he was entrusted with only five carries last week and had a fumble against Houston. So did Williams, who earned the start against OU last October but ran tentatively and gained just 30 yards on 12 rushes.
Benson, you might recall, did not see the field in Texas' loss except for one snap when Williams threw a shoe.
"It was a quarterback sneak," Benson recalled. "I wanted to stay in."
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, October 10, 2002
Cedric Benson may take every snap Saturday against Oklahoma. He may carry the ball 35, 40 times against the Sooners, lift his teammates on his broad shoulders and haul them to a program-defining victory.
If he does, it'll be all the more impressive because Benson is hurt.
The Texas running back suffered a turf toe on his left foot against North Texas. That's slang for a painful sprain of the base of the toe. He reaggravated it Saturday against Oklahoma State.
It's a toe, you say. What's the big deal?
Well, it's the big toe on arguably the biggest player in the biggest game of the year. And it's what power backs push off on, what gives them their cutback ability and elusiveness. That big toe has helped Benson rush for 622 yards -- 124 yards a game -- and score five touchdowns this season.
A big toe can put a big 205-pounder on the bench. Texas needs him on the field, at his best.
"It's hard to walk. It's hard to do anything," Benson told me this week. "It hurts when I put pressure on it. It's hard to practice."
But he is practicing, and he will play. Pressed further, Benson said, "Excluding my toe, I'd say I'm 95 percent."
He didn't give a percentage on his health including his toe, but it's fair to say the two are inseparable.
Turf toes have been known to sideline players for months, if not entire seasons. Turf toe just ended St. Louis Rams cornerback Aeneas Williams' streak of 177 consecutive starts. Cincinnati shortstop Barry Larkin had surgery to correct turf toe last month. Turf toe made Deion Sanders a mortal cornerback in 1998 and required surgery the following spring.
Turf toe is a big deal.
And if Benson's bumming, then it's hardly a stretch to think the Longhorn offense may be bumming as well. When you couple that with split end Roy Williams' nagging hamstring, well, last year's three points against OU suddenly sounds like a bonanza.
Any way you slice it, this is not good news. For the most important game of the season, you even want the ballboy hale and hearty. Mack Brown needs everyone on deck.
Asked if the injury will hurt Benson's effectiveness, Texas trainer Tom McVan said, "I don't know. I couldn't grade that. I would say Cedric's a real tough kid."
Unlike some players with the condition, Benson is choosing not to wear a turf toe protective plate. In all likelihood, he won't get better all year.
"If he can go a few games without banging it. . ." said McVan, who is discounting potential surgery. "I wouldn't even go that far. It's more of a nuisance."
Who knows how Brown and his coaching staff feel about Benson's toe. By federal law, they are not allowed to offer comment. Prayer, however, is legal. Probably encouraged.
Because without a healthy Benson, Texas -- which must run the ball to win -- is not the same team.
Without Benson, Texas loses a distinct advantage over Oklahoma, which has three good backs and should rely more on its best back, Kejuan Jones. Without Benson, the entire burden could fall to quarterback Chris Simms as it did last year.
Texas ran for a season-low 27 yards and lost 14-3. That was not unlike the Big 12 championship game against Colorado, when Benson suffered that bruised nerve in his neck in the second quarter after rushing for 79 yards on only 13 carries. Without him, the Longhorns finished with 92 yards rushing and lost 39-37.
If Benson had to sit, the running game would be left to freshman Selvin Young and junior Ivan Williams.
Young is a special talent, a more explosive and faster Quentin Griffin. But he was entrusted with only five carries last week and had a fumble against Houston. So did Williams, who earned the start against OU last October but ran tentatively and gained just 30 yards on 12 rushes.
Benson, you might recall, did not see the field in Texas' loss except for one snap when Williams threw a shoe.
"It was a quarterback sneak," Benson recalled. "I wanted to stay in."
