Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier rehabbing shoulder injury, battling staph infection
Tate Forcier's shoulder injury during the football season was a slightly torn labrum, and the Michigan quarterback is battling a staph infection in his knee.
Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com
The shoulder injury Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier played through last season was a slightly torn right labrum, a person familiar with the injury said Friday.
Forcier was diagnosed with the injury when he underwent an MRI while home for Christmas break. He’s rehabbing the shoulder now and doesn’t need surgery, and he’s also recovering from a staph infection in his right knee, the person said.
A Michigan spokesperson said the university does not comment on players' medical histories, and Forcier declined an interview request through the sports information department.
Forcier, who started every game for Michigan last year as a true freshman, originally injured his throwing shoulder during the Wolverines’ fourth-quarter rally against Indiana.
He appeared to be in incredible pain when a teammate slapped him on his right shoulder after directing the game-winning touchdown drive.
The injury was first reported as a sprain.
Forcier threw for 2,050 yards and 13 touchdowns last year, but struggled down the stretch as Michigan whimpered to a 5-7 finish, losing 7 of its last 8 games after beating Indiana. He also suffered a minor concussion in an October loss at Iowa.
Forcier already is taking part in workouts with the football team and will not miss any spring practice. The staph infection, a MRSA infection, already has been treated, the person said.
Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson said Friday that he and Forcier have been "throwing together" recently.
Dave Birkett covers University of Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at 734-623-2552 or by e-mail at davidbirkett@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
Comments
wolverine73
Mon, Jan 18, 2010 : 10:45 p.m.
How can anyone think that Michigan is going to be any better this fall? Forcier is too small to absorb the punishment he is taking and will continue to take. He obviously can not play in the cold either so that pretty much takes him out of the equation. Why does anyone think that these skill guys will get better? or grow big enough to matter? The O line is not good, the quarterbacks are panicky & undersized, and the defense is laughable. Plus any help will be from the incoming freshmen with the built in excuse that they are " too young and inexperienced. " Michigan is in for a long downward spiral with no end in sight. Hopefully AD brandon will have enough guts to fire RR at the end of this season and handle the hiring of a GOOD coach with the finesse expected of a Michigan man. Back to Tate - how can anyone go from a god to a goat so fast?
tulsatom
Sun, Jan 17, 2010 : 5:05 p.m.
It's hard not to like this kid. Good luck to Tate and to U-M next season. Beef up the defense, please!
UofMbeWorser
Sun, Jan 17, 2010 : 3:27 p.m.
I still dont understand how we can play Uconn for the home opener for the big house, i mean why play basketball for an opening of a football stadium?
Man in the Mirror
Sun, Jan 17, 2010 : 6:18 a.m.
These football players don't seem to be getting the medical treatment we think. So many of them are going home to get properly diagnosed and treated. What's up with that?
HailToASquared
Sun, Jan 17, 2010 : 1:21 a.m.
^ yikes- this guy be trying so damn hard.
UofMbeWorser
Sat, Jan 16, 2010 : 4:18 p.m.
I thought Michigan was supposed to be a medical college and have Top notch Faculty trainers. So Tate has to go home to Cali and get an MRI at the local walk in clinic to figure out he has a torn labrum? What a joke, are you kidding me? Seriously how does he not get diagnosed in Michigan? Any chance the california doctors can do anything with those baby tiny hands he has? those Ladies size small isotoner hands are going to be a liability for years to come.
HuttoHippos
Sat, Jan 16, 2010 : 12:56 p.m.
Thaks AZ! I'm glad your're doing well with yours! I was actually good for almost a year, then it started giving me problems again.All I have is time. LOL! As I was told with my injury, if there is inflammation in your shoulder joint, it would be difficult to see with an MRI. Since Tate was still practicing and competing for his job, I'm sure the swelling never reduced until after the season.
goblue32
Sat, Jan 16, 2010 : 11:55 a.m.
Did he get a second opinion after a diagnosis in A2? I'm wondering why this was discovered at home while on break.
Homeland Conspiracy
Sat, Jan 16, 2010 : 10:53 a.m.
It must be nice to have health care
NoBowl4Blue
Sat, Jan 16, 2010 : 5:10 a.m.
Tate is on the frail side, add to that he has small hands. Fumbles are to be expected especially as the weather turns colder and grip is weaken. What RR can do to save his job is instill Devin as QB as a freshman and let him take his lumps hoping you can squeak 6 wins out of him. Denard needs to be a flanker and Tate a backup QB.
Txmaizenblue
Sat, Jan 16, 2010 : 12:26 a.m.
Yep...I figured it was worse than we were originally lead to believe. His play was too much night and day different. I felt sorry for Tate, because you know he felt he needed to tough it out because of the constant pressure of "their competing" weekly spoken of by RR. Their is that tension as an athlete to play banged up and tough it out, and the dilemma that if I play in that condition (especially a QB with a banged up throwing arm) I will likely injure the perception of my play making abilities, because I'm not going to be on the top of my game. I feel like Tate was caught in that struggle last year.
truebluefan
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 10:29 p.m.
azwolverine - no, it doesn't completely explain Tate's fumble-itis but I'm sure he was conscious of the pain and played at least a little timid because of it. That is certainly a mental distraction. Couple that with his inexperience and that combination COULD be used to explain many of the fumbles that made us just scratch our heads.
azwolverine
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 10:07 p.m.
Hutto, I also had a torn labrum just last year and had it surgically repaired. While mine is pretty much back to 100%, it was very painful before the repair. While that would account for some of his throwing woes, obviously, I don't think it fully explains his "fumle-itis." Overall I still like Tate and his moxy and don't blame the collapse down the stretch on him, but I worry, as some have pointed out before, that he may have small hands that make it tough for him to hold onto the ball when he's hit. We'll so how he does next season and find out more. By the way, hopefully you get your strength back soon!
Chango
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 9:32 p.m.
Ouch, that is a tough injury. Hopefully he is a quick healer and that's good it was not a full tear. If he is already doing light throws then that is a good sign. Don't push it too hard, and be ready for spring practice. Overall, I hope we can protect all the QB's better next year. I remember when the team-mate slapped Tate's shoulder, even I winced watching his reaction. Tate, you played your heart out this year! Hopefully you and D-Rob get some great things going on the field this next season.
BlueInBama
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 9:23 p.m.
Shoulder, Schmolder. King RRod's masterful spread offense doesn't require passing the ball that much anyway. All Tate needs to do is the hand-off or pull the patented fake hand-off to the back lined up next to him in the shotgun. I mean, just look at how well it has worked thus far!
JimRhatt
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 9:17 p.m.
Dave, you have a wrong back-up on the "tags". Devon instead of Denard. I wondered how they got here. I thought automatic, but I guess not. Thanks. Go Blue!!
Lokalisierung
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 6:49 p.m.
I have no idea what's gunna happen here. I don't know his "self" enough to know if he was playing like it or not, but he beat some sorry teams and then lost to real compitition so who knows. He's only a freshamn so i don't want to make too many judgments yet. Although i still think that "concussion" versus iowa was a little suspect.
HuttoHippos
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 : 6:34 p.m.
I knew that something was worse than a sprain with Tate. He was not himself after the injury and I think his arm strength along with the pain he had from just the throwing motion was too much. The reason they use the term "sprain" is because that is the term and code they they use for billing. If we would have had a better back up, he would have been out the rest of the year IMO. I have had a torn labrum that needed surgical repair. That was almost 2 1/2 yrs ago. I still do not have all my strength back. I am also still rehabbing it. I know they said his is partial and won't require surgery, but that explains A LOT!