DeVante Parker Louisville vs. Florida 2013 Sugar Bowl Photo by Mike Lindsay Fitted

DeVante Parker Injury Impact

Mark BlankenbakerAugust 23, 2014

DeVante Parker will leave Louisville tomorrow (Sunday) to have his left foot looked at by Dr. Bob Anderson in Charlotte N.C. Soon after his visit, Parker and the Louisville coaches should have a firm understanding of the injury and the expected recovery time. Dr. Anderson is called by his colleagues ‘the real deal’ as the elite foot & ankle doctor in the United States. Anderson was Derek Jeter’s doctor after Jeter fractured his left ankle in 2012. Anderson has also treated Ahmad Bradshaw, Hakeem Nicks, Plaxico Burress, Julio Jones, Cam Newton, Fred Davis, Jeremy Shockey, Chipper Jones, among others.

On Facebook Parker’s family members have publicly called Parker’s left foot injury a ‘sprain’ and while WE are hearing all types of speculation regarding DeVante’s injury, it would be inappropriate to share them all. Recovery from srains, broken bones, strains, and other ailments that may befall the foot all greatly depend on the individual requiring treatment and the severity of the original injury. A Sprain, by definition is a stretch or tear in a ligament. There are 3 grades of a sprain:

Grade I is stretching of the ligament or a very mild tear, with little to no instability at the joint.
Grade II is a more serious but still incomplete tear.
Grade III is a completely torn or ruptured ligament. This is not a broken bone, but can feel like one since it is often impossible to put weight on the joint or use the affected limb.

Orthopedic doctors often note that many patients make the mistake of being either too eager to rush back into athletic activities after a sprain or strain, or resting the injured area too long. If an athlete does too much too soon, the athlete can re-injure the area; if the athlete stays immobile, scar tissue forms when any tissue is injured can lead to impaired mobility. Fans & coaches will likely begin to hear about whether a return from Parker will happen for the 2014 and if a return is possible what that timeline looks like.

But until then, the prudent thing to do is to prepare for the season and season opener without Devante Parker. I’ll be interested to see if Michaelee Harris slides over to the X position (from the slot) and if Petrino and McGee roll with an expanded role with Matt Milton. James Quick now MUST fulfill the promise of his potential and play with confidence. Mr. Reliable Eli Rogers is now more appreciated than ever in the slot, but the player that is likely to benefit the most from this is Tight End Gerald Christian. Kai De La Cruz also needs to avoid the injury bug that plagued him all season.

Louisville is deep at Wide Receiver, but losing potentially the best Wide Receiver in College Football is a blow to any program. I wouldn’t expect this injury to get any of the newcomers to get their redshirt taken off. But if it did the possibles would be one of either Javonte Bagley, Gio Pascascio, or Cameron Polk. The best case scenario would be for Parker to be out until the Wake Forest or Syracuse stretch (month) OR worst case scenario would of course be that DeVante Parker misses the 2014 season. Right now, I’m thinking that the news is going to be somewhere in the middle.

The Cardinal Rushing Attack will also be affected by this injury as Louisville’s premier deep threat is now sidelined. Michael Dyer’s thigh contusion also plays into the Louisville offense, and a once healthy offense going into last week’s Scrimmage is now looking at two of its biggest play-makers injured going into the opener vs. Miami in the most anticipated season in Louisville history.

Until we hear from coaches and doctors, however, this is ALL just speculation. The most important thing for DeVante is to fully recover his foot. Parker clearly has a high-level NFL career at stake for himself, and while it would be outstanding to witness Parker’s senior season at Louisville, he can carry the Louisville brand through the NFL for seasons to come at the benefit of the program while also securing his own personal future.