Foot Injury for Kody Walker Puts Heavier Emphasis on True Freshman for Arkansas Razorbacks
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
Arkansas fans for years now have empathized with running back Kody Walker. The sixth-year senior has been through his share of injuries and has suffered another setback per head coach Bret Bielema.
Bielema released a statement Wednesday night confirming that Walker had suffered a broken right foot in practice on Tuesday and had already undergone successful surgery on Wednesday to repair the injury. Bielema’s statement read in-part, “It’s a pretty standard foot injury that we’ve dealt with in the past and we expect him to be full-go by June. If anyone knows how to battle adversity it’s Kody Walker.”
The 23-year-old tailback has been extended two additional season due to medical redshirts granted by the NCAA for the 2011 (stress fracture in both legs) and 2012 (broken leg) seasons after suffering leg injuries.
With Alex Collins entering the NFL Draft as an early entry and senior running back Jonathan Williams bypassing a medical redshirt season also entering the NFL Draft, Walker was finally given the opportunity to be the lead back for the Hogs. That opportunity has not gone away with a recovery time of four to eight which would put him back into conditioning drills as early as May or as late as June if all goes well, but the fear of Walker’s body not being able to handle the physicality of the position becomes a primary concern.
Per Bielema’s statement, Walker planted his foot on a pass route breaking his foot. Unconfirmed, but the tone of the statement was the injury was a non-contact injury. Walker, listed at 6’2”, 245 pounds, has been reported to be as heavy as 255 at times, if not heavier, using his body as a punishing ball carrier against opposing defenses. The fear factor of losing Walker puts a greater load on true sophomore Rawleigh Williams, who left the 2015 season early suffering a horrific neck injury seven games into the season. Williams has been held out of contact in spring practices by the coaching staff waiting until fall camp to test his surgically repaired neck.
Williams rushed for 254 yards on 56 carries with one score and Walker, the Hogs second leading rusher behind Collins, ran for 394 yards on 90 totes with six scores during the 2015 season. If both tailbacks can remain healthy, the Razorbacks should have a very formidable one-two punch. If either player suffers any kind of setback, as the roster currently stands, Arkansas will have to rely on wide receiver turned running back Damon Mitchell, Denzell Evans, and Juan Day; players with very little game time experience.
I’ve never used sildenafilhealth.com before, so at the right moment I was afraid that I wouldn’t achieve erection because of my concern (especially when I had a new girl). I don’t have any health problems, but my head is full of work so that I can’t relax (especially in the evening).
Arkansas could get some much needed relief from the 2016 recruiting class with Devwah Whaley and T.J. Hammonds. Whaley was widely considered a Top 5 running back in the 2016 class and Hammonds is a dynamic all-purpose back with the kind of speed that makes him a threat from anywhere on the field.
The Razorbacks end spring practices on Saturday in the Red-White Spring Game held at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium with a start time of 12:00 p.m. CT.
Photo credit: 51pointphoto.com; No. 24 Kody Walker breaks free vs. Toledo (2015).