OSU's Nate Williams goes down with left knee injury

• LJ

  

  t wasn’t all smiles at the Horseshoe Saturday, as defensive end Nathan Williams went down with a left knee injury during the practice that preceded the kick scrimmage. Expected to replace Thad Gibson as the team’s starting Leo this season, Williams had his knee bent the wrong way and sat out the rest of practice. At the end he was seen walking on crutches with his entire left leg wrapped.

  http://www.the-ozone.net/football/2010/fallcamp/kickscrimmagestandouts.html
• OneBuckeye

  

  He'll be fine by sept 11th. At least he was still on the sidelines and not at the hospital getting an MRI.
• devil1197

  Seems like he will be okay, sit him out against Marshall if necessary.
• OneBuckeye

  

  According to Ken Gordon (dispatch reporter) via twitter. Williams injury is nothing to worry about.
• jordo212000

  

  Great news. Now only if he can keep his head screwed on.
• Scarlet_Buckeye

  

  OneBuckeye;451768 wrote:According to Ken Gordon (dispatch reporter) via twitter. Williams injury is nothing to worry about.

  
  Good to hear.
• se-alum

  

  Williams out 1-4 weeks, per Dispatch.
• OneBuckeye

  

  http://blog.dispatch.com/buckeyesblog/2010/08/williams_knee_what_it_means.shtml
  

  The sight of Nathan Williams hopping off the field Saturday -- literally, not putting any weight on his left leg -- had to be a bit unsettling for the Buckeyes.
  
  Ohio State has four good-to-very-good starting defensive linemen: Williams, Dexter Larimore, Cameron Heyward and John Simon. But among those four, only Heyward has proved himself as a durable, every-down player....Simon played in spurts last year, Larimore has struggled with injuries and Williams has never been counted on to play as much as he is in line to this season.
  
  And beyond those four, it gets sketchy. Nobody can reliably say what Solomon Thomas, Melvin Fellows, Garrett Goebel or Adam Bellamy (the next four on the two-deep) can do on the field, they just haven't played enough to judge.
  
  Freshmen such as David Durham (at Williams' spot, pass-rushing end) and Jonathan Hankins (at tackle) may end up contributing, but again, that's a "may," not a "will."
  
  So the extent of Williams' injury is important. Tim May reported in today's Dispatch that it is a sprain. By definition, a sprain is an injury to a ligament. A grade 1 sprain would mean the ligament is simply stretched and it's a matter of pain and swelling. Grade 2 would involved a partial tear.
  
  We don't know the grade of Williams' sprain. That's why there is a wide range of estimated recovery times -- one to four weeks is the initial diagnosis.
  
  Terrelle Pryor last year suffered a partial ligament tear -- a grade 2 sprain -- against New Mexico State. He was clearly limited for a few weeks, and even three-plus months later, it bothered him enough that he had arthroscopic surgery.
  
  One might argue that a sprained knee hampers a defensive lineman more than a quarterback -- the lineman needs to push off and drive, putting more strain on his knee.
  
  One or two weeks is no big deal -- Heyward had a high ankle sprain in camp two years ago, and it didn't seem to bother him a bit once the season started.
  
  But four weeks takes OSU right up to the Miami game, when the Buckeyes will need all hands on deck. Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock likes to rotate 8 or 9 guys on the line, but until the backups prove themselves a bit more, it's imperative that OSU's starting four remain healthy.

• OneBuckeye

  

  http://www.thebuckeyetimes.com/2010/08/tbt-notes-from-tuesdays-practice.html
  
  update
  

  NATHAN WILLIAMS INJURY UPDATE ... Early in Saturday's kick scrimmage at Ohio Stadium, OSU junior defensive end Nathan Williams was helped off the field after suffering what appeared to be a serious left knee injury.
  
  
  Early on in Tuesday's practice, I was able to chat with Williams for a few moments about the injury, and he informed me that even though it was incredibly painful, it "wasn't too serious."
  
  
  He said that he will basically rest and rehab the remainder of this week and go from there. My feeling after talking with him is that he will definitely be back before the opener on September 2.
  
  
  Williams is one of the best pass rushers on the team and will be greatly needed this season if the Buckeyes are to challenge for the national championship.
  
  
  Junior Solomon Thomas filled in for Williams at the starting defensive end spot opposite Heyward.