Topic: Holliday denies Johnson placed in harm’s way

[Big City]

BECKLEY — Doc Holliday handled it with class, but made sure he cleared up any confusion about the health of senior running back Devon Johnson, who was limited to five carries for nine yards in last Saturday’s 36-29 double-overtime win over Kent State before leaving with an injury. Johnson appeared to be favoring both ankles when he exited.

Rumors began circulating early in the week that Johnson, a Richlands High School alumnus, was playing with a fractured disc in his back.

Holliday used his weekly press conference to squelch those rumors. Without pointing fingers or naming names, it was clear Holliday was displeased with the suggestion that one of his players was knowingly placed in harm’s way.

“There’s not such a thing as a fractured disc,” he said. “We’ve got the best team doctors going out there. I have great respect for Dr. (Charles Giangarra), Dr. (John) Jasko and our entire staff. I’ve got the best trainer going in Tim (Pike). I can assure you that those doctors and trainers always have our student-athletes’ health at the front of their (minds) and would never put a kid, be it Devon or anybody else, in a situation where they’re going to get hurt in a game.

http://www.bdtonline.com/sports/holliday-denies-johnson-placed-in-harm-s-way/article_cf189a96-6720-11e5-8721-43f75a0dba76.html?mode=jqm

[whf]

Doc never says that DJ isn't having back problems, so day to day could be for any reason. Just because someone has a bit of a back problem also doesn't mean their career is over, or that their in massive danger.  This all needs to go away, and I think that Doc's unwillingness to let the public in on his condition is what Chucky went billistic about. 

Furthering speculation, moving someone else into a RB position isn't somethhing one would expect with / for a game; you'd think they'd go with current players if it wasn't a long term threat.

[Thunders77]

Doc never says that DJ isn't having back problems, so day to day could be for any reason. Just because someone has a bit of a back problem also doesn't mean their career is over, or that their in massive danger.  This all needs to go away, and I think that Doc's unwillingness to let the public in on his condition is what Chucky went billistic about. 

Furthering speculation, moving someone else into a RB position isn't somethhing one would expect with / for a game; you'd think they'd go with current players if it wasn't a long term threat.

Yes, under normal circumstances, the move of a WR to RB would signal a need, However....you also have to understand that Remi Watson who was the #2 is out for a few more weeks and prior to the season the previous #2 back was dismissed from the team. Thus, Marshall is operating with a starter now who was #4 in the Spring and is obviously depleted at the position with only two bodies there. So, moving Foster is probably more of an indication of that, rather than Johnson's long term diagnosis.

They have to have an emergency backup should Pittman go down.

[Big City]

I think it's in the best interest of the team and the players in this case Johnson to keep a lid on injuries. Opponents do not need to know the injury, the nature of the injury or extent. When he's on the field and playing he's already a major target. The last thing needed is someone trying to take him out of the game permanently. the player is day to day. He will play when it's determined he's ready to go.

As for me would I like to know, yes but do I need to? Not really. Is my knowing going to have any result on the outcome of the season? No.

[chris88]

I think it's in the best interest of the team and the players in this case Johnson to keep a lid on injuries. Opponents do not need to know the injury, the nature of the injury or extent. When he's on the field and playing he's already a major target. The last thing needed is someone trying to take him out of the game permanently. the player is day to day. He will play when it's determined he's ready to go.

As for me would I like to know, yes but do I need to? Not really. Is my knowing going to have any result on the outcome of the season? No.

Well said.  Why people think they have the "right" to know such things as injuries is beyond me.  The info comes out eventually.  No need to give an opponent info.  I mean even if the injury is relatively minor don't you think it would help an opponent to know DJ or anyone has a lower back issue?  It gives them a reason to exploit that and get him out of game.  Easy for a writer or fan sitting in the stands to not take those hits and/or hurt the teams chances....for what?  Selfish interest?

[parshall2marshall]

It doesn't do any good to have a WR who can't consistently catch the football. To compound matters, HF looked to be nowhere near being on the same page as CL at Kent.

If anything any QB needs to be on the same page in regards to the route being run. Cato-Shuler is the ultimate example of this. As to how much time it is going to take for CL to really light things up .... I think that depends on a lot of things. Yurachek, and the great grab Byrd made, showed me a lot of potential from the TE position.

As to the WR's, as many have said, they are going to have to step it up. If CL can be given the green light to call his own plays, the sky is the limit. I understand that the College game is too complex to have that happen overnight. But, late this season, I would say LOOK OUT for the Marshall passing game. I don't know who among the WR's is going to become a go-to guy, and there may well be more than 1. Pull out Bobby Pruett's toy balls to increase hand-to-eye, whatever it takes. But learn to run your route without having to think about it, and hold onto the damn ball.

p2m

[breckjimison]

Well said.  Why people think they have the "right" to know such things as injuries is beyond me.  The info comes out eventually.  No need to give an opponent info.  I mean even if the injury is relatively minor don't you think it would help an opponent to know DJ or anyone has a lower back issue?  It gives them a reason to exploit that and get him out of game.  Easy for a writer or fan sitting in the stands to not take those hits and/or hurt the teams chances....for what?  Selfish interest?

I understand not talking about injuries but what about AJL & AJL being dismissed from the team? Do we (fans/alumni) have to be kept in the dark about that? Why the secrecy over dismissing players? I would think that Doc would want his supporters and future players to know what to expect from him and what he wont tollerate. We deserve to know!

[chris88]

I understand not talking about injuries but what about AJL & AJL being dismissed from the team? Do we (fans/alumni) have to be kept in the dark about that? Why the secrecy over dismissing players? I would think that Doc would want his supporters and future players to know what to expect from him and what he wont tollerate. We deserve to know!

What do you want him to say?  The standard of "violation of team rules", "conduct unbecoming" or something more specific?  The kid more than anyone deserves a degree of privacy. Once they leave they are free to say whatever they want.  A kid now at a CUSA school was dismissed from Oklahoma.  After it happened the kid said on Twitter; "I am no longer enrolled at Un of Oklahoma because coaches said i was a cancer". Do you want the coaches saying that?

Coaches don't want these kids lives ruined or their future chances hurt.  It is well known that AJL was late to meetings often etc.  And that Srs voted him off team. Leggett took to twitter to say he wasn't happy with how he was being used and according to some he missed practice/meetings etc to show his level of unhappiness.  No program in the country is going to give you a full account of what went on behind closed doors between players/coaches etc. If Doc took to a press conf and said Leggett wasn't happy about how he was being used, the whole press conf would revolve around that and be distracting to the task at hand. Future players/parents should know what to expect because coaches tell them.   The player deserves to know where they stand and why. When you have 100+ players and only 22 starters sometimes you are going to have irreconcilable differences.  You are here to get a free education, but PT and other things are up to the coaches.   The fans don't "deserve" to know what goes on behind closed doors unless something has been done unethically or illegally.

[Apollo]

If it were me, day to day or not, I'd say publicly that Devon isn't likely to go. Then if he is truly a day to day decision, you've already said he probably won't go so teams probably will not have prepared for him. Stick him in then and blow them up. If you're coy about it then they prepare both ways. Let them prepare one way or the other then surprise them. We need all the edge we can this year and as it stands they're preparing to see a little of everything. I'd rather not show all my cards until gametime.

[Big City]

I understand not talking about injuries but what about AJL & AJL being dismissed from the team? Do we (fans/alumni) have to be kept in the dark about that? Why the secrecy over dismissing players? I would think that Doc would want his supporters and future players to know what to expect from him and what he wont tollerate. We deserve to know!

I definitely understand your point regarding these two players however look at it this way; if they were doing what they were supposed to do at Marshall, completely to the best of their ability, they would still be on the team. This is includes everything involved with being a STUDENT ATHLETE. There was some sort of disconnect and now they are not on the team. Generally if it is a career ending, family oriented etc. the school would make that sort of announcement public.

[ed swain]

I hope he is redshirted if he agrees with it.Maybe a year off can get him in playable shape

[BHFIOHIO]

There is a player privacy law about not discussing injuries .....Jean-Louis was voted off by teams seniors. Don't know about Legett. But I heard he was not working out or practicing after being cleared medically.

[carolinaherdfan]

Here in South Carolina. If the starting Qb had his hand chopped off the ole' ball coach wouldn't admit it until it absolutely became an absolute necessity. Good Gawd, Chuck needs to become acquainted with major college football...




Btw:

"Do you know who I am" Dana Holgreson

[GoHerd2112]

Seems to me we need a good running back that won't be injured or arrested.
DJ's style of running is great but leads to injuries.
Got well soon Mr. Watson.
You did great at Kent Mr. Pittman.
Is Pittman another Litton ready to break thru?

[elginherd]

2 points:

1st, unlike several years ago, there are regulations in place to protect a player's (really anybody's) medical records & history.

2nd, IF he has any sort of back trouble and/or chronic ankle issues, it might very well be in the mutual interests of Coach Holliday AND DJ to apply for a medical redshirt. This season, in all likelihood, is not going to be special anyway. Next season...the Herd is in position to be bad MoFoes.

[carolinaherdfan]

Should this situation require a featured interview with Mr. Johnson, his family, his doctor, and his Head coach, or should we just continue to pay our great Coach his salary each year to respond on behalf of West Virginia and the Great Marshall University to non-believable....misrepresentations every frigging time they say, even though we are paying them to represent  our State...Come on West Virginia....Don't let us look so dumb; more especially in the middle of our major industrial meth. Debacle.....