Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 4, 1993 TAG: 9311060095
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
When Marcus Parker took the field for Salem on defense against Alleghany, it was a magnificent victory.
It doesn't matter what the two-time All-Timesland running back does in what remains of his senior year in football. Parker has proven, if nothing else, that through hard work, a player can overcome adversity.
After Parker suffered a freak injury to his right knee during a gym class in the spring, there was doubt he would suit up again for Salem in football. He had torn the anterior cruciate ligament, an injury that usually puts an athlete out of action for at least six months after surgery.
How did Parker return four months and one week after undergoing surgery to play a game that is known to be brutal on the knees?
"I wasn't surprised," said his coach, Willis White. "I always expected him back."
Dr. Frank McCue, the Charlottesville orthopedic surgeon who has built a reputation for putting the damaged joints of athletes back together, says Parker worked extremely hard during rehabilitation.
"The problem has been trying to keep him slowed down because he's done so well," McCue said. "He wants to progress more rapidly than we'd like him to. Usually, we try to protect athletes for six months, but at four months we start letting them increase their activity significantly."
McCue says not too many years ago an injury such as Parker's would have sidelined an athlete for a year or more.
In this case, McCue didn't make the decision to let Parker come back. The Salem senior and his parents did that, perhaps risking a college scholarship should he reinjure the knee.
"Virginia and Virginia Tech both offered me scholarships before and after the injury," Parker said. "The risk didn't bother me. I'm not going to play for college, my family or myself. I had something to prove by rebounding from an injury like this. That's the reason I worked so hard."
White, Salem trainer Chris Tucker and McCue agree Parker is back because of hard work.
"His response has been tremendous," McCue said. "He had to [to have this kind of commitment] to regain strength and motion so quickly. His activity skill allows him to do anything. The reason for holding [him back] is to allow him to regain strength of the ACL graft."
Tucker has seen the effort firsthand.
"Marcus started rehab about four or five days after surgery [in mid-June] and has rehabbed every day since then. He hasn't missed a beat," Tucker said. "He'd do 400 toe raises [standing on your toes supporting your body]. If I did that, my calf would fall off."
Parker wears a light brace to protect his knee but says it doesn't hinder him in practice or games. He didn't take a direct blow on his knee in the first week of contact drills before the Alleghany game or against the Mountaineers.
Whereas some athletes who have had the type of surgery Parker had must fight pain as they return to action, Parker said his knee has been relatively pain-free. He also has shown little fear in the two weeks since returning to full-contact drills.
Parker was cleared to practice and play the Wednesday before the Pulaski County game on Oct. 15. Though White chose to wait until Oct. 22 against Alleghany to allow Parker to play, he said Parker's return to the team was not his decision.
McCue said that when he decided Parker was ready, "I went through the pros and cons. We tell an athlete they have to have strength and motion back and do all these various activities. Sometimes it takes nine months and sometimes it takes a year."
Parker had a lot to think about.
"Dr. McCue told me that, right now, my knee looked good and it was at its strongest point," Parker said. "He said if I felt I could play, OK, but he didn't come out and tell me to play. He said if I thought I could handle it, he was behind me. I made the choice [to play] with my parents."
White says he notices that Parker's right calf is bigger than his left from all the exercise. "There's no other noticeable difference," White said. "He doesn't favor [his right leg]."
While Salem coaches haven't timed Parker in the 40-yard dash since his return, White says he appears to have his speed back. Still, Parker took off on a long run Oct. 22 and was hauled down by Mountaineers defensive back David Cummings.
"Cummings took a great angle," White said. "He was on the other side of the field, turned and ran as hard as he could for the goal line, and hit Marcus about the 4.
"Marcus did slow down because he was tired. He was sucking air. There's not much oxygen up there [at Alleghany's higher altitude], and he's not in football shape."
Parker realizes that.
"I think I'm close, but I'm still not where I used to be," he said. "If I continue to work, I can get there."
Parker already has helped a Salem team that was struggling at 4-2 when he returned against Alleghany. The Spartans must keep winning to make the Group AA Division 4 playoffs. His return has given running back Jomo Nelson much-needed rest. Parker and Nelson play defense, and they're quite a 1-2 punch offensively, with each averaging more than 100 yards rushing per game in his career.
On defense, Parker plays linebacker. Against Alleghany, because of his size and quickness, the Spartans could play a smaller defensive end and still control Todd Wheatley, Alleghany's 6-foot-5 tight end. Wheatley never got free and Salem had a surprisingly easy 34-0 victory.
In his second game back, Parker rushed for 124 yards on 10 carries and scored three touchdowns Friday in a 49-14 victory over Christiansburg. It was vintage Parker, shades of the player who helped carry the Spartans to the state championship game in 1991 and a semifinal appearance in 1992.
"The reason why I worked so hard during rehabilitation was to get back to normal," Parker said. "I wanted to be able to walk or run normally even if I didn't play football."
That accomplished, the next few weeks will be dedicated to football and seeing how far Parker and Salem can advance.
by CNB