For all that’s been written and said about Jake Locker’s injury, we had not, until this afternoon, heard from the Husky quarterback since he fractured his thumb.
Here’s what he had to say in a press conference today:
How’d the surgery go?
Locker:
I was pretty nervous about it at first, but they put me out and I don’t remember any of it. So it was pretty smooth for me.
Did they put a pin in it, or anything external? What was done?
Locker:
Nothing’s sticking out. Just where it broke they had to kind of make it smooth in the joint. I think there was something in there where they just rounded it out and made it all come back together.
Did you know something was wrong right after throwing the block?
Locker:
After I’d done it, I got up. I tried to unbutton my chinstrap and couldn’t. Then I took my mouth guard out and tried to put it in my helmet and couldn’t do that, either. So I knew something was wrong. I thought maybe I just bruised it, or something, and it was sore. So I tried to stay in the next couple plays and then when I threw it, when I had the roll out, I just had no control over it. My thumb didn’t help me at all, then I knew something was wrong with it.
Was it from hitting the ground or the defender you were blocking?
Locker:
I think I kind of caught (the defender.) He moved to the side and I moved out my hand to get him. It kind of caught.
There has been a lot of talk about you possibly playing another position. Are you open to that?
Locker:
Yeah, I’m definitely open to it. I’d rather be playing than standing on the sidelines, so whatever is in the best interest of this team, whether it’s playing or not, I’ll give it a shot.
Have you had a direct conversation with the coaches about playing another position?
Locker:
No. It’s just… I mean, it’s a little buzz, I guess. We’ll see how it goes.
Was that play designed for you to be down field blocking?
Locker:
I handed off and they pitch it and I’m the lead blocker on the end.
You played safety last in high school and were recruited to play that position in college. Is that a spot you’d consider?
Locker:
If the coaches think it’s the best position, I’m willing to give it a shot.
Are you confident you can come back and play quarterback?
Locker:
As long as I’m really diligent with my rehab and do everything I can, I think that’s possible.
Are you worried about jeopardizing your future as a quarterback?
Locker:
I understand that and that is something that would factor in to the decision, I feel. I’ve told you guys before, I don’t want to live life scared or tentative. I want to enjoy it and have fun and I believe the best way to do that is to be on the field, no matter where it is.
Is an 0-4 start shocking to you?
Locker:
More disappointing than shocking. We didn’t expect to be here. So, it’s just something we all feel we fell short.
How is Tyrone Willingham handling the pressure of this season?.
Locker:
You guys know coach Willingham and he’s just a very mentally strong person. He doesn’t let those kinds of things get to him and he just stays on course. He keeps believing and, I mean, the season isn’t lost. There are still plenty of games left. Obviously 0-4 isn’t what we wanted, but we can still end on a positive note and I think that’s how he’s approaching it. It’s how we all need to approach it.
What do you tell Ronnie Fouch this week now that he’s the starter?
Locker:
During camp he had the two weeks when I had the hamstring, so he’s had a chance to get comfortable with those guys. He’s a very confident player, a very talented player. So I’m just going to tell him to have fun and to believe in himself. Because he’s good enough to be a great quarterback at this level.
Are you going to travel to Arizona?
Locker:
We haven’t talked about that yet, so I’m not sure.
Recovery for this injury?
Locker:
I’ll have to do some rehab stuff because, obviously it’s going to be in a cast for a long time. It won’t be at full strength. As soon as I get out of my cast, I’ll have to do some rehab to get the strength back.
On TV, they kept showing you laughing on the sideline after the injury. A lot of people are asking why you’d be laughing in a loss. What was going on and what do you have to say to those questions?
Locker:
I think you guys know me and the fact that, yeah, it sucks being injured and not be able to play, but to sulk and feel bad for myself and be a negative vibe is not going to help anybody, especially those guys that are in the game and that I was out there with.
I need to be a guy coming out on the sideline that they knew I still believed in them. They knew I was still there for them. And I truly do believe they can get it done. I needed to show them that. So me coming out and sulking and being really down was going to do anything positive for any of those guys. I was just trying to be as good a teammate as I could at that point and let them know I was there for them, and that I believe that they can do it.
Does that criticism bother you?
Locker:
No. Not at all. I mean, I obviously feel bad they felt that way, but I’m not one to go out there and feel bad for myself. ‘Poor me.’ I just wanted to make the best out of a pretty bad situation and I felt I did that.
What’s your reaction to hearing you’ll be out 6 to 8 weeks?
Locker:
That’s tough. That’s a long time to know you’re not going to go out there and play. It was difficult. It’s something that is kind of inevitable and I just have to work as hard as I can to get back out there.
Do you want to travel this weekend?
Locker:
Oh yeah, I’d like to be there for the guys, especially for Ronnie. He helps me when I’m out there, maybe things I didn’t see. Same thing for him when he’s out there.
Do you have a role in keeping this thing together?
Locker:
Definitely. I think everybody does, no matter who you are and what situation you’re in. It’s up to all of us to help each other out and prepare each other to the best of our ability.
What can you do?
Locker:
Make sure they know I have faith in them, that they have faith in themselves and I think that’s the biggest thing for us right now.
Do you feel snake-bit right now? Going back to the Oregon State game you’ve had the neck, hamstring, now this.
Locker:
No. It’s kind of a fluke deal. I don’t know how many times I got hit other ways, then you go throw a block and this happens. It’s kind of a fluke deal and it’s just part of the game. It happens.
