Micheal Terrell is back.
Most injuries that sideline athletes happen in season. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule – let’s take Micheal Terrell for example.
It was a day meant for fun and teaching, instead what it turned out being was a day of pain and not so welcoming news, both for Terrell and the Laurel football program.
“I don’t know when it first happened,” declares Terrell. “I was at a camp when I re-injured it.”
Terrell’s shoulder jolted out of place before, but this time the pain was, as he says, “greater.”
“I was at an FCA camp doing some football things with Mitchell Williams,” Terrell recalls. “I guess I moved my arm [in a wrong way] to catch a ball and it just popped. That time it hurt more than it did last year. Sometimes it would pop out during games, but I guess because of my adrenaline rush it didn’t bother me as much.”
Following the doctor visit came the unwanted news. Surgery was the only option for a full recovery, a recovery that would last well into the middle of his senior season.
“It made me open my eyes and realize a lot of things about football,” Terrell says. “Like [the fact that] it’s not going to be there all the time. It made me cherish football more, and that you can’t take it for granted.”
Laurel head coach Todd Breland had an offseason on unknowns. One thing, though, was for certain, the coming season’s offense would consist of a heavy run game and the loss of Terrell, at least for first half of the season, would hurt.
“It was a blow to us, just from the standpoint of knowing what kind of kid Terrell is,” says Breland. “Then you take [in consideration] the football equation of it. We felt bad for him. But he kept a good attitude through it all, and did everything the doctors told him to do, plus a little more when he was able.”
Laurel turned to junior Zias Perryman, who before this year had not played a full down of varsity football. Perryman exceeded exceptions. The junior averages 6.5 yards per carry and has 702 yards on 108 carries and six touchdowns.
“The big unknown was what the running back position would fill out to be,” Breland says. “Of course, Perryman stepped in and did a great job. It made us feel better. It also made us more anxious to get Terrell back so we could mix it up with them both.
“A lot of schools don’t even have a feature running back. We have two. They’re great friends as well as teammates. Through the process, Terrell coached Perryman a lot on the sidelines in the early part of the year. They encourage one another and make each other better.”
Terrell was limited in his carries last week against Wingfield. In his first game back, Terrell rushed for 37 yards on four carries, including a touchdown run of 24 yards.
“I was proud of him and for him last week to see him get back on the field,” says Breland. “He’s been itching to get back on the field. He’s prepared himself well for this.”
He’s return comes at a great time in the season. Laurel, 2-1 in Region 3-5A, travels to Soso this Friday night to take on West Jones, still undefeated in the region at 3-0.
“I got nicked up a little in my first game back, but I know that happens [when you first get back on the field for the first time in a long time],” Terrell says. “It’s all good thought because I’m not in any pain.
“I just thank my coaches for helping me out and progressing me, not just throwing me out there so I can get hurt again.”
