One of the biggest concerns with the start to the NFL season so far has been the injuries to a lot of really good players. Former Ohio State players Nick Bosa (49ers) and Malik Harrison (Colts) have both been lost for the season. Some of the other names like Saquon Barkley, Parris Campbell, and Brandon Scherff (all former Big Ten players) look to have suffered serious injuries as well.
How this applies to the Buckeyes this season is really nothing more than connecting dots and following the logic. I’m not saying they will have injury issues, but there could be concerns leading up to the first game. Not unlike the NFL, there has not really been a normal offseason or preseason. There’s still time, but with as unsettled as things have been, it is a concern.
Without a true camp or preseason work, players have not really worked themselves into what is known as “football shape.” Of course, players have also not taken the hits they would normally would either. Normally a lot of soft tissue or minor injuries are something that happen before games are played. We tend to see a lot of ankle or hamstring issues on the first few practices and scrimmages. This season we will see much less of both as we gear up.
That leads to whether injuries could happen a little more than previous seasons. According to a 2007 study by Jennifer Hootman, Randall Dick, and Julie Agel, preseason injuries rates were higher than both in-season and post-season rates in college football. A similar study was done in the NFL and had a similar conclusion.
The most common injuries found in the studies were ankles, contusions, and hamstrings. While in-game injuries were certainly the highest rate, the higher preseason rate was noticeable and significant. In other words, preseason is important for injury prevention during the season.
So does that mean Ohio State needs to worry about increased injuries? Well, it is something they need to watch, injuries can and do happen anytime. However, the lack of a real preseason can lead to more soft tissue injuries and thus, could have the Buckeyes use more of their depth than most seasons.
While there’s no way to look into the crystal ball, at least OSU has the next month to get players into “football shape.” Look no further than the NFL for what can happen with a truncated preseason.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion.
We have a forum and message board now. Get in on the conversation about Ohio State athletics by joining the Buckeyes Wire Forum.