As I'm sure you know if you watched the 1st quarter of the game yesterday, the Trojans have lost yet another player to injury.In what many are calling the most gruesome injury caught on tape since Joe Theismann, senior fullback Ryan Powdrell suffered a dislocated and broken fibula as a Nebraska tackler fell on top of him on an early first quarter play.
The injury was obviously painful from the first viewing -- Powdrell dropped the ball in pain as his leg rolled under a Cornhusker defender and immediately grabbed his leg, making it evident that it was no minor tweak. When ABC returned from commercial we got a closer look at the after-effects, which were disturbing to say the least. Powdrell's foot was pointed about 90 degrees to the left of where it should have been; take a look at these X-rays to get some idea of the damage.
With senior Brandon Hancock's season already ended due to a torn MCL, the Trojans suddenly find themselves rather thin at fullback. Reports say that Allen Bradford may be moved to fullback, to add some support to replacement starter Mike Brittingham, a former walk-on. Bradford would join reserves Jody Adewale and Stanley Havili on the fullback depth chart. Meanwhile, Powdrell will have surgery tomorrow, and unfortunately just like Hancock, his 2006 season is over.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-17-2006 @ 8:11PM
Adam Nettina said...
May I just say that was one of the most gruesome injuries I've ever seen.
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9-18-2006 @ 11:50AM
Gerry said...
Another Heartbreaking Injury. They are all heartbreaking. When you think about how hard a kid has worked to get to that level of performance, it hurts like hell to see it gone with a single tackle or freak injury. Good luck and a speedy recovery to Ryan and all the other kids who have the misfortune to get injured at the peak of their careers!
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9-18-2006 @ 11:53AM
Jane Powdrell-Culbert, State Representative, NM said...
I was really looking foward to my nephew having a great season. This breaks my heart for him to suffer such an injury after working so hard to make the USC team.
"Ryan don"t give up, it's not the end of the world, just a little pause"
Auntie Jane
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9-18-2006 @ 11:53AM
Brian Murray said...
Yet another amazing USC has stepped up to the plate this Season... Ryan, you showed yourself to be a TRUE Warrior, this Saturday... And I have a feeling we will be seeing a lot more of your TRUE toughness, when you come back and kick some serious A$$!!! I'd love to hear how you're doing... Oh, yeah! One more thing... Chicks Dig Scars!!!
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9-18-2006 @ 1:51PM
Derek M said...
I absolutely hate to see these kinds of injuries happen to players. I've lost sleep thinking about poor Ryan and what must have been going through his mind on the field after he saw his dislocated foot. The pain, shock, confusion. It appears that his surgery went well and I wish him a speedy recovery...physically, mentally, and emotionally.
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9-19-2006 @ 1:58AM
cathie morriss said...
I was in the 14th row on the press box side of the field, right near that play. I'm not the squeamish type but I shuddered when I saw his leg collapse under the defender. His leg and foot were twisted at a very awkward angle. I can't believe the poor guy had the presence of mind, with all that pain, to ride upright in that cart and give the Trojan "V" sign to the fans. Very courageous but a big loss for the Trojans.
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9-19-2006 @ 12:14PM
Lauri Dillon said...
As I watched the replay over and over, it appears that Ryan just had a freak accident. When he slid, it was at an awkward angle and definitely not the fault of the tackler.. these things happen. My best to Ryan.
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9-19-2006 @ 2:14PM
Chip Kimmich said...
Not a fun one to watch. I Played for San Jose State and suffered the exact same injury on my left ankle. I was able to make it back to play the next season. This is a tough kid with a lot of support. Hopefully the NCAA can find a way to grant him some more eligibilty so we can all cheer him on again next year.
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9-19-2006 @ 9:13PM
Tom Costa said...
In my mind, it looks like the Nebraska tackler could have let go of Ryan Powdrell. He knew he had the fullback's leg pinned, but bent Powdrell back anyway.
I think these turkeys want to make game-changing events happen - on purpose - real nice. What a contribution Powdrell could have made to the team this season - and now his college career is over.
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9-20-2006 @ 5:07PM
Remo said...
WAAAH! USC (and Nebraska) players have been rolling up on the legs of opposing players for decades, causing career-ending injuries. It sounds like karma to me.
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