Fort Collins – Kory Sperry ignored a flood of phone calls after he tore his ACL on Saturday. But when Colorado State teammate Kyle Bell’s name popped up on caller ID, Sperry answered immediately.
Bell has rushed for back-to- back 100-yard games since he returned from an ACL tear suffered before the 2006 season. Thus Sperry has his inspiration before he goes into surgery, which probably will be by the end of the month.
“A lot of people called me, family and friends. I didn’t call them back because I was just trying to deal with it. When Kyle called me, I picked up right away,” Sperry said Tuesday after he watched the Rams practice. “He told me if anything, any questions, he’ll be there.”
An MRI on Monday confirmed the initial diagnosis after Sperry was hit in the knee while coming down with a pass against Cal. Bell’s uneventful rehab was attributed in part to a “clean” ACL tear. Sperry said his MRI also showed no other damage to his knee.
Sperry said he will apply for a medical hardship year and return as a fifth-year senior in 2008. He knows he will get one more year to prove to NFL scouts that he can block, and he won’t have to rush getting his degree next spring.
“That year of maturity is going to be huge,” he said. “Even if I have a chance of going, for selfish reasons I need to stay and make sure there are no ‘what ifs.’ I need to annihilate any doubt I have in my mind.”
As with past team leaders felled by season-ending injuries, Sperry was back at practice Tuesday offering tips to a deep group of tight ends.
Redshirt freshman Adam Seymore, coming off a severe ankle sprain, said his “heart stopped for a second” when he saw Sperry hop off the field.
True freshman Eric Peitz, who was worked into the lineup before Sperry was hurt, was playing in one of the smallest 11-man classification in Nebraska this time last year.
“Kory is going to be missed so much,” Peitz said. “I feel an obligation to fill his shoes. Just his presence makes us work harder.”
Just as Sperry did four years ago when an ACL injury to Matt Bartz forced Sperry to play as a true freshman, Peitz has mixed feeling about skipping a redshirt year.
“When they need you, you’ve got to step in,” Peitz said. “I never expected to come in a situation like this.”
Sperry said the 240-pound Peitz weighs 30 pounds more than Sperry did as a freshman.
Junior tight end Chris Kawulok, hampered last season by a shoulder injury, is recovered and able to contribute more.
“The tight end won’t catch as many balls, and we’ll use the receivers more,” co-offensive coordinator Dan Hammerschmidt said.
As for the fateful play, Sperry said it was routine.
“I jumped up for the ball. I was exposed. My rib cage was open, so I was getting ready for the hit,” he said. “Right when my foot came down and planted, he came into my knee. It’s just a misfortunate hit.”
Staff writer Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
