Et Tu, Chico McClatcher? Washington football injured WR counting on teammates

Washington Football team wide receiver Chico McClatcher suffered a horrific ankle injury in against the Colorado Buffalo. Now both receiver and team face a future of uncertainty

The Washington football team is beginning to feel the effects of the football season. The team is battling through injuries to key players, but on Saturday night, September 23, 2017, the team faces one more, wide receiver Chico McClatcher.

The injury happened on a roll up, and McClatcher’s ankle twisted in such a way that it was painful to observe.  The official word on his injury and recovery time will not be known until Monday. But we can prepare for the news now.

Dislocation, Fracture, Sprain, or Strain?

The most likely injuries to McClatcher’s ankle falls into one of four categories: Dislocation, Fracture, Sprain, or Strain. Knowing that, we can discuss each now.

Dislocation – Dislocated ankles can and do occur.  The most important treatment is the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). After medical images reveal the nature of the injury, a Medical professional attempts to restore the joint back to its original form. This can often require surgery, as the joint has complex array of soft tissue to support the weight of the body.   Healing often requires up to 12 weeks to allow the athlete time to heal, and is followed by gradually intensifying the workload to build up strength.

Painful alternatives

Fracture – Fractures do occur as well. There are three bones which make up the ankle:
Tibia – shinbone
Fibula – smaller bone of the lower leg
Talus – a small bone that sits between the heel bone (calcaneus) and the tibia and fibula
Once more, imaging confirms the extent and orientation of the injury. And once more, the treatment is to place the joint back into its original form.  The difference in this version is the injury includes bone mass, which extends the healing process. It takes at minimum of six weeks for broken bones to heal. Add more time for injuries to soft tissues. Recovery time is longer, up to 4 months for healing and then gradually building up strength.

Sprains/Strains – This injury occurs when tendons and ligaments in the joint are stretched beyond their normal range.  As a result, the joint is no longer tethered and must be immobilized in order to heal properly.  Unlike the other forms of injury, there is no “resetting” required. But surgery may be necessary to rejoin ends of connective tissues. Intense sprains/strains can take 6-12 weeks to heal, plus additional time for the athlete to build up strength.

Next man up time

There is no way around it. Wide receiver Chico McClatcher will miss a significant, if not the rest, of the season. Now, the next man on the roster must step up.

Hey, if McClatcher is confident, we can be too. But that also means back to that depth chart.

Who will step up? The next man up on the depth chart is sophomore wide receiver Aaron Fuller. So far, Fuller has come down with four passes for 45 yards.

Fuller’s time to shine

Head coach Chris Petersen is a very astute football mind. So when he expects the next player on the roster to step up, it’s never without a plan.

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Think back to the Drew Sample injury which unleashed tight end Will Dissley for his two touchdown burst where he looked nearly unstoppable. Now, that same process unfolds for Aaron Fuller.  And he will deliver.  His four receptions happened against Fresno State, as part of the rotational package to close out that game.  Now, he can build on that “real game” experience for the upcoming weeks.

And he’ll deliver.  That’s what being a team is all about.