Ryan Turnley wasn’t just battling injuries in one foot all season last year. No, it was both feet.
Turnley initially got hurt against Utah. He says the injury was a shock to the system, particularly because he never really had one as serious during his career. The following week against UConn, he hurt his other foot.
“The thing about the one in the UConn game was that it was on a screen,” Turnley recalled. “I was pulling out to the left. I went to cut a linebacker, and it felt like the sole of my shoe ripped out, that’s the sound it made and the feeling I had. I got up on my feet, and I said, ‘It happened again. I can’t believe it.’ We completed the pass, and we ran a hurry-up no huddle, so I limped my way over to the line and snapped the ball. I didn’t have time to think about it. I went to the sideline, then to the locker room for pain medicine, and came back.”
Turnley ended up with torn plantar fascia in both feet. On crutches all week, but was in for every snap of every game. He converted to center last spring. As much out of need by Pitt as there was for an opportunity to play. He proved to be far, far better than anyone expected.
Is there any doubt that playing UConn on a weeknight is some sort of bad ju-ju for Pitt? There was “slide right.” There was being burned twice on a for passing TDs by a team lacking a functional QB and so much else. Then there was last year’s MASH unit game: Ray Graham’s torn ACL, Matt Rotheram fractured his left ankle, Cam Saddler fractured his sternum and Turnley was also injured in the weeknight win over UConn.
/looks at 2012 schedule
/Pitt-UConn play on a Friday night
/crap
What will Chryst do ? If he can get pitt to win the games they should (toledo, ohio bobcats, bowling green etc..) could be a surprising year.
I like your optimism DC33. I think 9-3 is within reason if we can pick up a win at Cincy. Win at VA Tech would be huge and set us up for 10-2. but hey…lets see how they do against the Penguins.
Pitt wins the BE football and gets the major bowl.
Pitt hoops wins the BE tourney in MSG.
What a way to go out the door!!!
He was a three star recruit with a few BCS offers. this is what good OL are made of. Of any position on a football team the O Lineman rely much more on intangibles than any other position. All of them are big but it is the ability to force your will, either on other players or through your own pain, that makes them productive.
Now, if DW and Graham’s staff can do that with Turnley they can certainly do it with other kids with the same rankings either coming into the program or who is already on the roster.
I think the OL will be a very bright spot for us this season.
… obviously I meant the current staff can do that.
Agree on the OL rankings. Give me guys with size and heart and great coaching can make a world of difference. Its easier with the Fralic’s of the world on the roster, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Pitt’s OL recruits ultimately outperform the higher rated OL recruits that choose to elsewhere, including Pedophile State.
There’s not a position at Pitt in the last decade at which star rankings were MORE correlated with success than OL.
