- Cornerback Jonathan Hefney on Inky Johnson's injury:
I was running directly over there when he hit the guy. I was like, "Ink, come on let's get up." I knew something was wrong because he never says "I'm just going to lay down." They told him just to stay down because he tried. I seen him lift his head up trying to get up anyway.
As much as me and him talk and be around each other, to see him laying down on the field was like your brother or something getting shot or something. It like scared me to see him down on the field.
Johnson's apparently been able to move his fingers some:
He was like, "Look, Hef, I'm moving my hand." You know, like he was moving his fingers around and his arm was itching. He's got feeling in his arm I'm assuming.Inky's been able to move his fingers.I pray for him every night hoping that he will be all right. Maybe if he wants to play football again he can come back and play.
Johnson made an appearance at practice yesterday, lifting the spirits of the team. Receiver Robert Meachem on the gesture:
That was one of the best feelings in the world. You have one of your brothers come back from something a lot of people can't come back from, just to come out there and show his face and show he still loves the game. - Also making an appearance at practice was injured defensive lineman Justin Harrell, whom we were told would be out for the rest of the year. Harrell is postponing his surgery so he can play one more game for the Vols. In Neyland Stadium. Against the Gators.
We conferred with the doctors and there is no chance for further injury to his arm if he's padded up well. He practiced today and did just about everything there was to do.I don't know whether he'll get five snaps or 50 snaps, but he's going to be able to play in this football game. And this is a one-game deal. He has to have the surgery because if it goes longer than a couple of weeks, the muscle starts to atrophy.
Senior guard David Ligon feels for whichever Gator o-lineman lines up opposite Harrell on Saturday.
Thank God it's not me across from Justin Harrell when he knows it's his last couple plays. It's going to be nasty. - By the way you can email Harrell and injured cornerback Inky Johnson to wish them your best at UTSports.com.
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