Injuries are a part of sports, but more so maybe in football than any other. Heading into Week 1 of the season, there are a number of teams coping with massive injuries, and how they react to those injuries will help determine whether these clubs will or will not cover the spread on a weekly basis.
Ed Davis, Michigan State – The Spartans were slated to have one of the best defenses in America this year. That might very well still be the case, but Davis was a big part of that. He sustained a knee injury in the summer and is going to miss the entire season.
The good news is that Mark Dantonio has a very deep team capable of doing a lot of damage on this side of the ball even without Davis. The bad news is that this is a fifth-year senior and the quarterback of the defense who now isn't going to be out there.
This week against Western Michigan probably won't be the problem, but that game against Oregon is looming next week, and his absence could play a huge role.
Jonathan Williams, Arkansas – This might be the most notable injury on the board simply knowing who this is. Williams ran for 1,190 yards last season, and he split time with Alex Collins in a backfield which just mauled defenses all across the SEC. Even the best defenses struggled with this power running game, but now that Williams has suffered a foot injury, the backfield is going to more or less belong to Collins.
That could be good news for Collins as he tries to turn himself into an NFL caliber running back, but behind him, we're not sure what the Hogs really have.
Rawleigh Williams has looked good in the summer, but he's still a freshman and could have some issues. He's a burner though, and we suspect Williams could be in for a huge day against UTEP.
Marcus Jackson, Rashaan Gaulden & LaDarrell McNeil, Tennessee – One injury in and of itself generally isn't the end of the world for most college teams who have a zillion players on scholarship. When injuries start multiplying though, that's when clubs have real issues.
Tennessee is a legitimate Top 25 team this year, but these three injuries could really wreak some havoc early on in the year against a Bowling Green team which has a heck of an offense. McNeill and Gaulden are now out of the fold, cutting the secondary in half, while Jackson was one of the best offensive linemen on the team and a fifth-year senior.
Jihad Ward, Illinois – As if the Illini needed any further issues. The week that Tim Beckman was fired amid injury cover up allegations and other transgressions, Ward was ruled out for at least a game or two thanks to a knee problem.
Add in there the fact that Ward's backup, Paul James III left the program and this is going to be a big issue.
Many Illini faithful believe that this shouldn't be the end of the world, but we're here to tell you that Kent State, even though it isn't anything more than an average MAC team at best, is capable of going on the road and winning this game with all of these problems.
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