Weiss returns to football from fibula injury

With the new season right around the corner for the football team, the Tigers welcome back two players to key positions on the defensive side of the ball. Both players were sidelined last season with injuries, and after surgeries and recovery time, both will resume their starting positions.

In the defensive backfield, junior cornerback Blake Perry will make his return to the Orange and Black after missing the end of the season with two broken wrists.

On the defensive line, junior defensive end Joe Weiss returns from an injury that cut his season short far too early. In the third game of the 2001 season, Weiss went down with a broken fibula. He had already had seven tackles against Colgate in the first quarter before he limped off the field. Once on the sideline, he was put on a stretcher and taken to the training room where he was evaluated.

"After the x-ray, the doctor said it was a clean break, right through," Weiss said. "It was shocking. But the worst part of all was that I tore all the ligaments in the ankle."

He had to have two screws put into the leg in a surgery and had to be on crutches for 14 weeks — not an easy feat on this campus. Weiss made his way around campus wearing a walking cast. Although he had a broken leg, Weiss refused to give in, still trying to get around under his own power—and with his crutches. With the help of his teammates, he was able to get back on his own two feet, but rehabilitation was tough.

"During the time on crutches, the leg atrophies. I was basically down to skin and bones," Weiss said.

His rehabilitation process was difficult. He did squats as well as range and motion drills in order to rebuild his leg. He worked with the team in the winter and spring but took minimal reps to keep from reinjuring his leg. Now he is back to full strength and ready to rejoin the defensive line.

Head coach Roger Hughes is happy to have Weiss back in the lineup. When Weiss went down, it began a thinning out of last season's defensive line, forcing players to work outside of their skill level. Defensive end Phil Jackman '02 stepped up to take on much of Weiss' defensive responsibilities when his own strengths were mainly in pass rushing.

"When Weiss went down, we were really rotating four guys around and trying to find a fifth," Hughes said. "That exposed us a little bit."

Weiss is just one of the many highlights on this season's defensive line. Having only graduated Jackman, the defensive line returns all of its starters—and they are all looking bigger than last year. Add to that mix the experience they have gained, and the Tigers boast a very versatile line.

And this line will not be going anywhere.

Joining Weiss at the starting positions will be juniors Jeff Micsky, George Pilcher and Tim Kirby, and also seeing time there will be sophomores Ian Withrow and Peter Kelly.

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But there is not a single senior on the defensive line two-deep chart. With Weiss back in the lineup, the four-man front line and their back-ups who will be playing together for the next two seasons. And that is something that Hughes likes.

"Hopefully we have enough depth there that we can maintain a healthy defensive line and strong pressure not only in the game per game but as the season moves on, too," Hughes said.