Laquon Treadwell celebrates after scoring a touchdown during an NCAA football game against Auburn in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014. (DM Photo | Cady Herring)
Ole Miss played its final four games of the season without its best playmaker after then-sophomore wide receiver Laquon Treadwell went down with a fractured tibia and dislocated ankle.
Quarterback Bo Wallace’s passing took a drastic hit by the subtraction of his number one target, and, at times, the Rebel wide receivers struggled to get open against the increased attention on them without Treadwell drawing some of the defense away from them. Now, almost five months later, Treadwell has made impressive strides in his rehab and is well on the road to recovery.
Head coach Hugh Freeze said he was pleased with Treadwell’s progress but is still holding him out from certain parts of practice.
“He went through one-on-ones and routes versus air today, but we haven’t put him in any team situations yet,” Freeze said.
Redshirt sophomore quarterbacks DeVante Kincade and Ryan Buchanan are also impressed by his recovery so far. The quarterbacks are still battling for the starting job for the 2015 campaign, and life will be a lot easier once Treadwell returns.
Kincade expressed his happiness Tuesday with the recovery of the star wide receiver.
“It feels so good to see him out there ‘cause I know he went through a lot,” Kincade said. “Now he’s out there running routes, catching passes and getting back to his old self.”
“It’s amazing, his recovery,” Buchanan said. “He’s worked his butt off to come back and to come back as fast as he has,” Buchanan said. “He’s looking good and is looking stronger each day.”
Even Treadwell was surprised by how far along he’s gotten in his rehab.
“It’s just a blessing,” Treadwell said. “I don’t even feel normal running right now, but it’s happening, so I’m just trying to get the swing of it.”
With the harsh nature of his injury, many people did not see Treadwell making it back by the time spring practice came around.
“It went very fast,” Treadwell said. “Getting an injury like that, it’s more mental, so I was thinking of so much stuff at the time, but (the recovery) goes fast, even if you don’t always see it.”
While he’s made huge strides in his recovery, Treadwell still believes he is not 100 percent healthy yet. There is still time to recover more and get back to full strength.
“I think about (the injury) a little bit, but I don’t think it’s going to go on for much longer,” Treadwell said. “I think I’ll get my rhythm back in a couple of weeks.”
As of right now, there’s no exact timetable for when Treadwell can return at full strength.
“A week, week or two, a month. I’m really not sure. Every day it feels different,” Treadwell said. “One day, it’ll probably feel sore. The next day, I can run routes on it. It’s just a process.”
Treadwell said the hardest part of the rehab process hasn’t been the exercises and drills to regain strength in his leg like many would expect. Instead, it’s being away from the game.
“Seeing (my teammates) in pads and not being able to go out there and play with them,” Treadwell said. “I worked out a little bit with them in the spring workouts with running and everything, but, as far as being out there and competing with them, I just miss all that.”
