Virginia Tech’s injury list last season was a lengthy and voluminous one. Not so unexpectedly, the updates have followed suit.
On the BeamerBall.com website Wednesday, head trainer Mike Goforth provided updates on a whopping 14 Hokie football players as the team gets set to commence spring practice. A total of four of those players will not participate in spring practice, including running back Marshawn Williams and defensive lineman Luther Maddy.
Williams sustained a torn ACL last November, an injury that, obviously, knocked him out for the remainder of the 2014 season. At the time, he was Tech’s leading rusher, and still ended up being No. 2 in that category (475 yards) as well as leading the team in rushing touchdowns (four).
Beyond spring, the status of Williams, who underwent ACL surgery in mid-December, for summer workouts is to be determined, although, if he does miss those sessions, it doesn’t appear it’ll be because of a lack of effort.
"[H]e’s looking great and really pushing through his rehab,” Goforth said. “I’m confident he’ll be close for summer, and with the way he works, and his strength and attitude, I wouldn’t bet against him.”
As for Maddy, it looks as if he’ll be a definite go for the summer workouts.
“Very encouraged with him. He’s doing phenomenal,” said the trainer. “We’re going to hold him out of both Winter and Spring. We need him back healthy and ready to roll when summer rolls around.”
Maddy sustained a knee injury in September that was expected to keep him out of action for 2-4 weeks. A month later, however, the lineman was forced to undergo another surgical procedure on the knee and missed the remainder of the season.
Over the past three-plus years, Maddy has started 33 of the 43 games in which he’s played. After leading the Hokies with 13.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hurries in 2013, Maddy was named third-team All-ACC by the coaches.
There was also some encouraging news for a pair of starting cornerbacks.
In December, Brandon Facyson suffered a broken tibia and fibula during bowl practice. While he had initially been ruled out of spring practice, Goforth wrote that the defensive back “will be ‘out’ for our Winter Workouts and then we’ll re-evaluate this status going into Spring.”
Facyson missed most of spring practice in 2014 because of a “stress reaction” in his left tibia, ultimately undergoing surgery a month later. He returned for summer camp and started the first three games of the 2014 season, but aggravated a lingering issue in his left leg and did not play the remainder of the regular season.
The other starting corner, Kendall Fuller, underwent wrist surgery in January. He’ll be limited during spring practice, but should be fine moving forward for both summer workouts and summer camp.
The other two players definitely ruled out for the spring are center Kyle Chung (shoulder) and defensive end Ken Ekanem (shoulder).
