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- Thread starter Buckskin86
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DontHateOState
Hall of Fame
Buckskin86;1560431; said:
That's too bad. Hopefully he comes in hungry and healthy.
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Any chance the staff may be a little worried as I am? Two consecutive season ending injuries really doesn't inspire my confidence in Graham recovering as the same player. Don't get me wrong, I hope he does, but I'm just thinking it can't be easy.
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Cincinnatibuck
Heisman
RB07OSU;1560714; said:
I would be worried if it was a shoulder and elbow injury versus ankle and knee as far as recovering as the same player.
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Buckskin86
Moderator
Prep football Class 7A preview: Wheaton North moving on without Taylor Graham on the field
By Brian Hedger Special to the Tribune
October 29, 2009
Wheaton North quarterback Taylor Graham will watch from the sidelines as the Falcons play a first-round Class 7A playoff game at Rockford Boylan on Saturday. Graham, an Ohio State recruit, tore his posterior cruciate ligament earlier this season. (Mike Burley, Chicago Tribune / September 3, 2009)
This was supposed to be the season of Taylor Graham's dreams.
Instead he's relegated to watching Wheaton North head for the playoffs without him in uniform for the second year in a row.
Graham, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound senior who committed to Ohio State, suffered a season-ending leg injury in Week 3. He played one more game but was shut down after an MRI revealed a posterior cruciate ligament tear. His junior year was cut short because of a severely injured ankle.
"It's definitely tough, especially with all the goals I had set for myself," said Graham, the son of former NFL quarterback Kent Graham. "Growing up I always dreamed about playing varsity for Wheaton North, and between last year and this year I only got to play a handful of games. But now I can help from the sideline."
The Falcons hit the road Saturday to play undefeated Rockford Boylan (9-0), and going with them will be Graham -- who has become an extra set of eyes on the sideline.
He passes on any tidbits to help junior Reece Butler, who has filled in admirably at quarterback.
"He's been a great leader throughout the whole thing," said the smaller, faster Butler. "When I was behind him to start the season, I learned a lot just by how he composed himself. Then, when he got hurt, he stuck around and has been a great leader that way. He's really like a second coach."
Graham doesn't want to get started on the coaching path just yet.
"I just feel like it's my responsibility to the team to help out however I can, just like the scout team kids in practice," Graham said. "I just throw my two cents in here or there and help out."
Prep football Class 7A preview: Wheaton North moving on without Taylor Graham on the field -- chicagotribune.com
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Buckskin86
Moderator
Prospects for 2010 deal with injuries
Thursday, November 26, 2009
By Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
WALKING WOUNDED: Quarterback Taylor Graham, of Wheaton, Ill., has had his playing time drastically cut short by ankle and knee injuries the past two seasons. The son of former Buckeye Kent Graham is committed to OSU's class of 2010. (Corey R. Minkanic, Naperville (Ill.) Sun)
Along with arm strength and intelligence, add optimism to the list of Taylor Graham's good qualities.
The senior quarterback from Wheaton, Ill., suffered his second straight season-ending injury this fall.
In 2008, it was a broken left ankle that required surgery. This year, it was a torn knee ligament.
Graham, who is committed to Ohio State's class of 2010, acknowledges the impact the injuries have had, but he hasn't let them weigh him down.
"Obviously, it's disappointing and frustrating, those are the two main words to describe it," said Graham, son of former OSU quarterback Kent Graham. "I had such high goals I wanted to accomplish in high school. I wanted to help us win a state championship - growing up, that was always my goal, and it's tough not getting to reach that.
"But at the same time, I understand that God has a plan for me and I trust in him."
Graham is not the only OSU recruit to be seriously hurt this past season.
GameDay+
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Scout$--Graham Reflects On Ohio State Visit
Taylor loved his visit and struck up a friendship with Matt James. He is excited to come in and compete.
Taylor loved his visit and struck up a friendship with Matt James. He is excited to come in and compete.
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BG$--Graham thrives on competition
More of the same...he was trying to recruit Matt James and also was impressed with Verlon Reed.
More of the same...he was trying to recruit Matt James and also was impressed with Verlon Reed.
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ThisIsMyUsernam
All-American
Love seeing him put on his recruiter hat with Matt James. Hope it works!
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Buckskin86
Moderator
Catching Up With Taylor Graham
By Alex - January 8th, 2010
Being that your dad played here, it?s natural Ohio State would be a big factor in your decision, but what made you want to come to OSU? What other schools, if any, did you consider? Did any schools try to recruit you after you committed?
To be honest, the fact that my dad went to OSU had nothing to do with my decision. I really like the tradition and the people at OSU. I feel like I will fit in well. OSU is one of the top teams nationally every year, so how would I not want to join a Big Ten Champ, and who wouldn?t want to play in the Shoe? I had somewhere around 10 offers because I was hurt half my junior year, and my top four were Iowa, Michigan State, UCLA and OSU. I believe that because of the way I presented my decision to the other schools, they understood that I was going to OSU and they didn?t recruit me after I committed.
How?s your rehab coming? How tough will it be to come back from two straight years of injuries? What is the timetable for your return? Does the fact that OSU took another QB in Verlon Reed bother you?
My rehab is coming along great now. I am running and lifting just as I did before the injury. It is always difficult to bounce back form an injury but the severity of mine was not that bad. I tore my PCL and I?m told that of the four ligaments in your knee, that is the least important, for lack of a better term. I believe that competition brings out the best in everyone. So the fact that OSU offered Verlon doesn?t bother me. I?ve had the chance to meet him and I can tell he?s gonna be a great teammate.
When do you plan to enroll at OSU? What will you be studying?
I plan to enroll at OSU in the summer, and i really don?t know what it is that I will be studying.
Catching Up With Taylor Graham | Eleven Warriors
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Buckskin86
Moderator
Updated: February 3, 2010
For the love of the gridiron
Falcons' Graham looking to put injuries behind him at OSU
Powers By Scott Powers
ESPN Chicago.com
Wheaton North senior Taylor Graham never felt obligated to play football, become a quarterback or commit to Ohio State because his father, Kent Graham, once did all those things.
Scott Powers for ESPN.comTaylor Graham said his father encouraged him to follow his heart, and didn't push him toward playing football.
No, Graham chose those paths because that's what he sought for himself.
"He's always told me if I love football, that's what I should do," Graham said. "If not, there's no problem with that. I have to do whatever I love and do it to my fullest. It turned out to be football."
Football has made it tough for Graham over the past few years to keep that love. As a junior, he broke his ankle in the fifth game of the season and had to sit out the rest of the year. Just as he was returning to form this past season, he tore the PCL in his knee during the Falcons' second game, continued playing, aggravated the injury four games later and again was forced to shut his year down.
For many, back-to-back injuries like Graham's would be too much to handle. It'd be easy to understand if Graham were depressed and outwardly frustrated by his bad luck.
Graham took a different approach, though. He kept his head up, continued to attend practice, watch film and was there as a captain to call the coin toss every game.
"He's the type of kid that doesn't get down about anything," Wheaton North coach Joe Wardynski said. "On the field, he doesn't get rattled when things aren't going well. For a kid who lost his junior and senior seasons to injury, he could have been bitter -- 'Why me?' He wasn't like that."
Graham admits the second injury was greatly disappointing, but he also understood his competitive playing days weren't done. He had committed to Ohio State over a list of suitors during the summer.
"I'm just hoping all these injuries are behind me now," Graham said. "I've had a string of bad luck in my high school career. I didn't get to accomplish all of my goals in high school. At the same time, I know I have a great future ahead of me at Ohio State."
Ohio State happens to be where his father played before going on to a decade-long NFL career, but Graham didn't decide on the Buckeyes simply because of that. He was sold for other reasons as well.
"Who wouldn't want to play in The Horseshoe, play for coach [Jim] Tressel, play for Ohio State?" Graham said. "They win year in and year out. They just won the Rose Bowl."
Wheaton North's Taylor Graham fights through injury, looking forward to Ohio State - ESPN Chicago
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