I know, I know. It feels absurd just typing that question. OSU is known as one of the top medical facilities in the country, right? This tweet didn't really sit right with me, though, when I read it. I realize injuries happen and some just never heal how you would hope, but this sure seems like a lot of high profile guys who you would expect to get top-notch treatment (right, JT?).
OSU Med has had issues with players having surgery and the injury not rectified. Wilson-Foot, Lattimore-Hammy, Miller-Shoulder, Dixon-Knees
— jbook (@jbook37) November 12, 2015
I'm not sure the current status of Dixon, but I would expect he'd be seeing the field a lot more if his tendonitis wasn't an issue. That particular issue is probably the one I wouldn't put on the medical staff. Seems to be a chronic issue that they probably can't do too much about.
Lattimore seems to be back with us, but he's had multiple issues with his hamstrings. And, quite honestly, the way this guy was being talked up during his freshman fall camp versus the way he's played in games, I'm not convinced that it's not still an issue.
Another guy I'll throw in there (for speculation, of course) is James Clark. Smith has been quoted saying it's a mental issue with him, but you'd think that the guy knows how his leg feels and if something doesn't feel right, he's not going to feel confident running and cutting on it. I don't totally buy the mental thing. Maybe the first year or so after surgery? Sure. But he should be good by now.
That brings me to my last example, which is the much-discussed Jamel Dean. According to OSU medical staff, he was not good to go. According to the best knee expert in the business, Dr. James Andrews, he was good to go. I also found this article from August that indicates his knee seems to be fine. Dean needs to sit out a year due to transfer rules, but it sounds like he has a good chance to contribute in 2016.
What defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson had to say: "I mean his knee looks exceptional. He's running, he's breaking, so I'm excited about him. Don't know what the future is going to hold, as far as when is going to play and all that kind of stuff, but he is doing a great job. He's a great kid and I'm so happy we got them."
It's easy to attribute all of this to the nature of football injuries that every team has to deal with, but all those high profile guys coupled with the Dean situation does make you wonder if there's anything worth looking at here.
