“I don’t have time to be mentally weak. It’s my last year. Mentally I feel like I’m fine. It’s just a matter of getting the knee back to 100 percent.”
--Eric Stephens, senior Texas Tech running back, who dislocated his left knee and suffered a tear to the anterior cruciate ligament last season.
Stephens suffered the severe knee injury 10 months ago during a loss to Texas A&M. The subsequent swelling was so severe he wasn’t able to have surgery until late November. Ever since, all of Stephens’ energies have been focused on being ready for the start of his senior season.
“I’m about 95 percent right now,” Stephens said. “I’m not going to lie and say I’m 100 percent, but I’ll definitely be ready when the season starts.”
Tech coach Tommy Tuberville plans to have Stephens avoid any contact until near the end of preseason camp. However challenging, Stephens will eventually have to clear the mental hurdle of cutting hard and taking hits to the knee.
Excerpt from lubbockonline.com (08/05/2012) at: http://lubbockonline.com/sports-red-raiders-football/2012-08-05/stephens-i-dont-have-time-be-mentally-weak. Article by Nick Cosmider, Lubbock Avalanche Journal, "Stephens: I Don't Have Time to be Mentally Weak."
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