Update on Zac Etheridge.....

The Prowler · « **on:** November 01, 2009, 05:56:10 PM »

He has movement in all extremeties and all of the x-rays came back negative, to me it sounds like it's a severe neck sprain. Coach Chizik said today is that Zac Etheridge is out for the season, but the outlook is good for him to make a complete recovery. It is too early to know if he can come back next season.

Also, Coach Chizik has high praise for Ole Miss running back Rodney Scott who realized the seriousness of the injury to Zac and stayed motionless until Zac was put on the stretcher.

Zac with mom and dad

Townhallsavoy · « **Reply #1 on:** November 01, 2009, 07:56:55 PM »

Sprain? Rub some dirt on it. We need him for Furman!

Just kidding. Good luck to him.

bottomfeeder · « **Reply #2 on:** November 01, 2009, 08:44:01 PM »

War Eagle, Zac. I hope he has a full recovery.

The Prowler · « **Reply #3 on:** November 01, 2009, 08:49:32 PM »

Quote from: townhallsavoy on November 01, 2009, 07:56:55 PM

Sprain? Rub some dirt on it. We need him for Furman!

Just kidding. Good luck to him.

At first, when I'd heard that it is a possible severe neck sprain, I thought....Zac will be back next year. Now, I'm not so confident that he'll ever play again. They're saying that he is able to walk around, but he'll still be in my prayers.

Thrilla · « **Reply #4 on:** November 01, 2009, 08:52:27 PM »

Quote from: The Prowler on November 01, 2009, 08:49:32 PM

At first, when I'd heard that it is a possible severe neck sprain, I thought....Zac will be back next year. Now, I'm not so confident that he'll ever play again. They're saying that he is able to walk around, but he'll still be in my prayers.

Prowler, what are you hearing as to the severity of the sprain? In one post you're saying he has feeling in all extremeties, had negative X-rays, and has a good outlook for next season, just to follow it three hours later that the outlook is not good for him to ever play ball again?

The Prowler · « **Reply #5 on:** November 01, 2009, 09:08:43 PM »

Quote from: Thrilla on November 01, 2009, 08:52:27 PM

Prowler, what are you hearing as to the severity of the sprain? In one post you're saying he has feeling in all extremeties, had negative X-rays, and has a good outlook for next season, just to follow it three hours later that the outlook is not good for him to ever play ball again?

The outlook is good for him to make a complete recovery, that doesn't mean that he'll play football, that just means that the outlook is good for him to make a complete recovery outside of football. A severe neck sprain isn't something that one can just bounce back from, hell former SPuat lineman Chris Samuels retired a couple of weeks ago because of a neck sprain. If it's a grade II sprain, then he possibly could play next year, if it's a grade III sprain, then he won't be playing football again. No one knows the severity of the sprain yet, also X-rays were done to check for spinal injury and since muscles don't show up on X-rays, we'll have to wait until after he gets done with a physician to check the severity of the sprain.

Now I'm hearing that he has a small fracture of the C5 vertebrae, they didn't see it when they did the X-rays at East Alabama Hospital, but it was found after he was transported to UAB. If that's the case, then he played his last game, Saturday. I really hope that isn't the case and that it's just a grade I sprain or just a strain.

Also, two thumbs up for the classy and smart move by OM freshman RB Rodney Scott, for not moving until after Z was taken off of him.

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #6 on:** November 01, 2009, 10:25:44 PM »

X-rays do not show anything with regards to fractures, bulging or herniated discs in the spine. CT scans and MRI's are the norm to detect that kind of thing.

boartitz · « **Reply #7 on:** November 01, 2009, 11:52:58 PM »

We had a player come back from a broken neck. All is not lost at this time.
Good luck to the kid.

AUChizad · « **Reply #8 on:** November 02, 2009, 10:23:45 AM »

http://blog.al.com/auburnbeat/2009/11/zac_etheridge_bound_for_full_r.html

Quote

Zac Etheridge bound for full recovery, but future in football is uncertain
By Evan Woodbery
November 01, 2009, 8:13PM

AUBURN -- Zac Etheridge's Facebook page shows the Auburn junior smiling from his hospital bed and surrounded by family, a sign to friends that he was upbeat and positive after suffering a frightening neck injury in Saturday's game.

Auburn head coach Gene Chizik said Sunday that Etheridge would miss the rest of the season, but that doctors are hopeful of a full recovery. Chizik declined to say whether that recovery would include football.
"I don't know that," Chizik said. "We're talking about full recovery as a person."

Chizik declined to talk about details of the injury, citing privacy reasons, but Etheridge was wearing a neck brace in his Facebook status photo.

Etheridge was injured when he collided with Auburn defensive end Antonio Coleman while attempting to tackle Ole Miss running back Rodney Scott.

Chizik praised Scott, who was lying on the turf underneath Etheridge. Scott was not injured on the play.

"It was one of the most amazing things I've seen," Chizik said. "I've got to give that young man a lot of credit. I don't know how he knew but he just knew he couldn't move. He sat as still as the night laying right underneath him. It was one of the most phenomenal things I've witnessed."

Sophomore Mike Slade replaced Etheridge in the rotation, but Chizik was cautious in the extent of his praise.

"Mike filled in adequately, but I think the whole level of our defense stepped it up a notch," Chizik said.

As for long-term solutions, there appear to be few.

Mike McNeil and Drew Cole are presumed to be out for the season with injuries. T'Sharvan Bell has experience at both safety and corner, but has played sparingly. Corner Demond Washington has been reliable as a nickel back, and he could be also be an option at safety.

"(The options) are rather slim, but we will get creative to make sure we put the best guys out there to give us the best chance to win," Chizik said. "It might be Mike (Slade). It might be moving a guy over. We don't know. We'll explore all the options."

Defensive coordinator Ted Roof called Bell an "intelligent" but inexperienced player.

"There's some uncertainty there as far as the experience factor," he said. "As you make your stretch run, you'd rather be putting in experienced (players), but that's where we are. We'll just continue to evaluate in the next couple of days and make a decision as to exactly what we're going to do."

Chizik said replacing Etheridge's leadership would be as difficult as matching his on-field production.

"He's a team leader and he's loved by all the guys on this football team," Chizik said. "It's going to be tough."

Roof said he immediately thought of Etheridge's family.

"You hope and pray for the kid because he's such a great kid, and he's somebody's son," Roof said. "You hate to see it. You worry about him and you worry about his family. You think about the kids on our sidelines and how they're going to respond to what's going on. I thought our guys responded about as well as they could."

AuburnChopper 3.0 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 02, 2009, 10:25:59 AM »

Rodney Scott is getting a lot of deserved credit. If in FACT there was a fracture of any sort, his action (or non-action) may have saved Etheridge's life, and many different ways....

Props to the kid...

War Eagle!!! · « **Reply #10 on:** November 02, 2009, 10:33:05 AM »

Quote from: AuburnChopper2.0 on November 02, 2009, 10:25:59 AM

Rodney Scott is getting a lot of deserved credit. If in FACT there was a fracture of any sort, his action (or non-action) may have saved Etheridge's life, and many different ways....

Props to the kid...

Yeah, He did a good job there.

I think, the NCAA makes teams watch about a 10 minute video before you put on pads that talks about neck injuries and what happens if you or a team mate has one. One thing is to not touch the injured player or try and help him up. It also gives examples of laying still if an injured player is on top of you. Props to the kid for doing that. It is a very dangerous situation...

ibelonginprison · « **Reply #11 on:** November 02, 2009, 11:07:52 AM »

Anyone have a link to an Ole Miss board? Would like to toss my gratitude over that way for Scott.

djsimp · « **Reply #12 on:** November 02, 2009, 12:35:50 PM »

Quote from: ibelonginprison on November 02, 2009, 11:07:52 AM

Anyone have a link to an Ole Miss board? Would like to toss my gratitude over that way for Scott.

I was thinking the same thing.

No Huddle · « **Reply #13 on:** November 02, 2009, 01:30:50 PM »

I am praying for him as well. He should be thankful Brandon Spikes was not in that pile.

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #14 on:** November 02, 2009, 01:40:49 PM »

Quote from: No Huddle on November 02, 2009, 01:30:50 PM

I am praying for him as well. He should be thankful Brandon Spikes was not in that pile.

This

Ranger12 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 02, 2009, 02:22:33 PM »

X-rays can show bulging, and sometimes herniated, discs. However only and MRI can show the extent and if they are pressing on any nerves. It was an X-ray that first showed up that I at least had 3 bulging discs from an old stress fracture. MRI's later confirmed they were herniated and pressing up against nerves. In Zac's case, his injury seems to be more severe then injured discs if he has fractured vertebrae. In the long term, a severely sprained neck or fractured vertebrae (broken neck) can be easier to recover from compared to chronic disc problems, however it is usually recommended that the person give up any high impact sports that puts their neck at risk. Here is hoping that Zac makes a full recovery and will be successful outside of football it that is the diagnosis.

What amazes me about Scott was how quickly he must have realized something was very wrong with Zac. In most instances, the guy would have gotten right up, not being malicious, but just not thinking about it. Heck, he could have thought Zac was just trying to be a jerk by not getting up quick enough, as those of us that have ever played on offense know that defensive guys will do time to time just to rub in the fact they just made a tackle on you. For Scott to have that much awareness speaks volumes of the kid.

bottomfeeder · « **Reply #16 on:** November 02, 2009, 08:14:30 PM »

Quote from: ibelonginprison on November 02, 2009, 11:07:52 AM

Anyone have a link to an Ole Miss board? Would like to toss my gratitude over that way for Scott.

http://www.rebelfaithful.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15201

AUTiger1 · « **Reply #17 on:** November 02, 2009, 09:32:45 PM »

Bryan Matthews at rivals is reporting that Zach has been released from the hospital and Coach Chizik stated that the medical staff is confident that he will make a full recovery. Don't know if that is full recovery as in, he will be able to play again or full recovery as in, he will heal up and live a normal life.

bottomfeeder · « **Reply #18 on:** November 02, 2009, 09:48:33 PM »

Quote from: AUTiger1 on November 02, 2009, 09:32:45 PM

Bryan Matthews at rivals is reporting that Zach has been released from the hospital and Coach Chizik stated that the medical staff is confident that he will make a full recovery. Don't know if that is full recovery as in, he will be able to play again or full recovery as in, he will heal up and live a normal life.

I read that a little bit ago. Let's hope he is happy and healthy to live a normal life without football. If he decides to play again let it be his and the doctor's decision.

Snaggletiger · « **Reply #19 on:** November 02, 2009, 10:00:01 PM »

Quote from: Ranger12 on November 02, 2009, 02:22:33 PM

X-rays can show bulging, and sometimes herniated, discs. However only and MRI can show the extent and if they are pressing on any nerves. It was an X-ray that first showed up that I at least had 3 bulging discs from an old stress fracture. MRI's later confirmed they were herniated and pressing up against nerves. In Zac's case, his injury seems to be more severe then injured discs if he has fractured vertebrae. In the long term, a severely sprained neck or fractured vertebrae (broken neck) can be easier to recover from compared to chronic disc problems, however it is usually recommended that the person give up any high impact sports that puts their neck at risk. Here is hoping that Zac makes a full recovery and will be successful outside of football it that is the diagnosis.

What amazes me about Scott was how quickly he must have realized something was very wrong with Zac. In most instances, the guy would have gotten right up, not being malicious, but just not thinking about it. Heck, he could have thought Zac was just trying to be a jerk by not getting up quick enough, as those of us that have ever played on offense know that defensive guys will do time to time just to rub in the fact they just made a tackle on you. For Scott to have that much awareness speaks volumes of the kid.

A flashlight shining through your ribs would do as well as an x-ray on your broke up ass. There's gonna' be something that needs a procedure up in there.