Notes from Tuesday's workout; freshmen talk injuries

[PonyPride]

Members of the SMU football team gathered again Tuesday for another optional conditioning workout. Quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, linebackers and defensive backs convened first for simulated seven-on-seven drills, but they were cut short because of the threat of lightning. The players moved inside, where they joined teammates for agility drills in the weight room.

Two guys who are trying to bulk up before the start of the season: DL Aaron "Spike" Davis is now up to 262.5 pounds, and said he thinks he can reach 270 before the start of preseason workouts in August. OL Bryce Tennison, on the mend from three offseason injuries (a broken metatarsal bone in his foot, shoulder surgery and hernia surgery) said he is up to 290 pounds, and has regained much — but not all — of his strength. Tennison said that he would like to reach 300 pounds by the start of workouts, especially considering the chance that he likely will run off a few pads when he dons the pads in the August heat.

Another number change: WR Cole Loftin will wear No. 5.

WR Ryan Walker has missed a couple of weeks of working out after straining a hamstring. Walker is resting and rehabbing the injury, and called the approach to his treatment "cautious."

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Three of the freshmen who have arrived to begin working out with their new teammates suffered season-ending knee injuries as high school seniors. All three — WR Kyle Guinyard, RB Kevin Pope and DB Der'Rikk Thompson — visited with PonyFans.com Tuesday to offer insights into their progress back to full health.

• Guinyard, a receiver from Ennis, Texas, played in his team's first three games before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee.

"I planted my (left) foot to cut back," Guinyard said, "and it hyperextended and tore (the ACL)."

Guinyard underwent surgery in October, and rehabbed extensively, eventually getting cleared in March to resume running, although he did not take part in a spring sport.

"I'm working hard to get it (the knee) strong again," he said. "It's easy to do, but you just have to be dedicated and go in every day to work on it and get treatment."

Guinyard said he estimates his speed is about 90 percent of what it once was, and is wearing a protective brace for summer training; he expects to lose the brace once he takes the field with his new team.

"It gets a little sore sometimes when I work out, like when I jump," he said. "But most of the time, it feels good. It's coming along."

• Pope, a running back from Mount Enterprise, Texas, tore his ACL and LCL (lateral collateral ligament) in MEHS's Oct. 30 game against Tenaha.

"I planted," he said, "and someone hit the inside of my knee."

Pope underwent surgery Nov. 6, but returned in time to run the third leg on his school's 4x100-meter relay team.

"I'm working to get my strength back, and I'm training hard in rehab," he said. "I'm probably still missing a step or two, but it's getting better."

Pope said he will not wear a brace and he experiences no lingering pain, adding that "sometimes, when I'm working out, I forget I even had surgery."

Pope said that not only is he regaining his speed, but he also is seeing a return of his quickness and power.

"I can do just about all of the cutting I did when I ran before," he said, "and I am doing some box jumping for explosiveness.

Pope also said he experiences no pain, except when he puts a severe strain on the knee.

"If I'm lifting a lot in squats, or doing a lot of boxes (jumping)," he said, "it gets a little sore. Other than that, though, it feels good."

• Thompson, a defensive back from Troup, Texas, actually injured his knee twice as a high school senior. He sprained his medial collateral ligament (MCL) during a preseason scrimmage, and then after returning to the field, he tore his ACL and partly tore the LCL in his left knee when he caught a screen pass and got yanked down with a horse-collar tackle.

Thompson underwent surgery Oct. 7, and returned in time to run on his school's track team in the spring, posting season-best times of 10.7 in the 100-meter dash and 21.9 in the 200.

"The biggest things are getting the strength back, and trusting it again," he said.

Thompson estimated that his speed and strength are at "about 95 percent" of what they once were, and his quickness is "around 80 percent."

[Pony4Life]

How dare you interrupt the "sky is falling" cries with actual information about the team — and good information, at that.

Glad to read that Davis and Tennison are getting bigger and stronger, and that's encouraging to read about the freshmen.

[rich59]

Amen, Pony for Life

[RE Tycoon]

So, Thompson will be a DB to start? I thought he was penciled in at WR?

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

[quote="Pony4Life"]How dare you interrupt the "sky is falling" cries with actual information about the team — and good information, at that.

Glad to read that Davis and Tennison are getting bigger and stronger, and that's encouraging to read about the freshmen.[/quote]

Ha! Couldn't agree more. Very refreshing to read something other than all the admissions stuff.

[Silk]

Thanks for keeping us on track, PP.

[southerncomfort]

Reading about all those knee injuries make me cringe a little...

[SMU89]

When does practice start? Thanks.

[PonyPride]

First practice is Aug. 7.

[indianmustang]

thanks for all updates