Meet a Buckeye: Aaron Gant
Friday, October 15, 2010
By Ken Gordon
The Columbus Dispatch
Five years ago, safety Aaron Gant started the mini-pipeline flowing between Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Marys and Ohio State. He was followed by Taurian Washington the next year, and Florida State transfer Dionte Allen this season.
Gant is the Buckeyes' version of Humpty Dumpty, having been put back together again after injuries to his head, foot, knee, hand, and who knows what else. That's where we start:
QUESTION: What was the worst injury?
A: I would say my knee (that forced him to redshirt in 2009), because when your knee goes, it can affect a lot of different parts of your body. But at the same time, the knee was a blessing, because I got to come back for my senior year to play and give it another try.
Q: How many concussions have you had?
A: Oh man, I think I've had at least four _ on paper. I don't know how many I've had. Off the record, I don't know.
Q: What does it feel like when you get one?
A: You're in another world at first. You're in a different place. You kind of pull your senses together and you still may not be all there, but you like to say that you are. After you get hit, you're still like, `OK, I can still play.'
Q: Did you ever try and talk your way back on the field?
A: I try, but it never works. They take your helmet and hide it, things like that. Anyone who has a concussion or gets their bell rung, they hide your helmet to make sure you don't go back on the field.
Q: Does your family worry about you, with all the injuries?
A: My mother (Michelle Jordan); she always tells me, `Stop leading with your head,' if I do. Other than that, she knows it's a physical sport and it comes with the territory.