AU FOOTBALL: Trott feeling ready for contact following knee surgery

Nine months after reconstructive surgery on his left knee, Tommy Trott feels more like himself when he’s running.

Walking, however, is a little tougher.

“It doesn’t feel natural when I’m walking on it — it doesn’t feel like me,” the fifth-year senior tight end said Thursday. “But when I’m running around on it, making cuts, I don’t really think about it.”

Ever since he tore his ACL during the Georgia game last November, Trott has been thinking about getting back on the field.

In less than three weeks, when preseason practice beings Aug. 5, Trott will have his chance. And so will his newly reconstructed knee.

“It’s feeling really good. It really does. It feels great on Monday, pretty good Tuesday, starting to wear down on Wednesday, by Friday, you know, it’s time for the weekend to come,” Trott said. “But, that’s what’s going to be good about two-a-days, I’m going to have to fight through it — have to get some endurance in it.”

And feel what it’s like to get hit, again.

“I’m looking forward to getting some contact with it, see how it holds up,” Trott said. “And I feel like I need that. That will take away the mental part — see what it feels like when I take a hit on it, see what it can take.

“I think I’m full go, I just need to take that hit so I know it can take a punishment and a beating.”

Trott’s also working on picking up new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn’s offense, as are all his teammates.

One thing he’s not worried about, however, is who’s going to be driving that offense.

According to Trott, he’s confident in whichever quarterback wins the starting job this fall — Kodi Burns, Neil Caudle or Chris Todd, who was limited during spring practice after recovering from shoulder surgery.

“I tell you what, this offense is great for a quarterback, just because there’s not a lot of hesitation back there with the ball,” Trott said. “They’re getting the ball out there on time. It’s a precision offense, a timing-based offense, and it’s really making those guys look good.

“I really believe we have a bunch of quarterbacks who are really able to play and would be good, SEC quarterbacks. You know, one, two, however many are going to step up and be able to lead us this year. Hopefully, we’ll have a better football season.”

Trott is also impressed with Todd’s recovery.

In Trott’s mind, Todd, who suffered last season from a loss of strength in his throwing arm after suffering some previous injuries to his shoulder, is back.

Relating a story about how wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor wants his players to shorten up their splits on the line of scrimmage when running a hitch route to help the quarterback by not having to make such a long throw, Trott was convinced Todd is fully recovered.

“(Taylor) always says, ‘You’ve got a 5-yard hitch route, why split all the way out there? Why make it a really tough throw for the quarterback? We don’t have any John Elways, there’s not that many John Elways anymore.’

“So, I cheated my split out a little bit (Wednesday night), just messing with some things. Chris Todd got it out there. I’m coming out of my hitch and I realize that ball is almost there, and it’s coming.

“He’s got an arm. And I believe it’s back. I didn’t see him play when it was 100 percent, but Texas Tech recruited him, and that’s a throwing offense, so they must have saw something in him.”

And it’s not just Todd. Trott says Burns and Caudle are looking just as good during summer workouts.

“They’re both doing great,” Trott said. “It’s a great competition out there for these quarterbacks, because they truly are competing. They’re all alternation on who gets the snaps with the ones, and really, there’s not a whole lot of difference. We’re not wearing pads, so it’s tough for someone to make the big plays that Kodi’s been known to make with his feet, but the offense is moving the ball.

“And that’s good, because we’ve got an SEC defense. We’ve got a great defense over there that we’re moving the ball against out here in (summer drills).”

mszvetitz@oanow.com | 737-2513