The road to recovery

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Smith looks pretty healthy, leading the charge out of the tunnel. /source: Arthur Ward

Smith looks pretty healthy, leading the charge out of the tunnel. /source: Arthur Ward

Article: Brady Lang - Sports Writer

Article: Brady Lang – Sports Writer

Lyndon Smith hopes to be off the injured list for good.

Standing at 6’4 and 315 pounds, you would think Rams first-year offensive lineman Lyndon Smith would be invincible.

Little would the average fan know, the adversity Smith’s been facing is much more than the typical University of Regina student.

The product of Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan suffered his first knee injury at the age of 14 while playing hockey. Since then, Smith has struggled with countless knee injuries ultimately forcing him to miss the entire 2012 Regina Rams football season.

“Right after I had my surgery it was pretty rough for about eight months,” Smith said. “I thought I was done, never thought I’d ever get better but I came back stronger than ever.”

Smith was red-shirted by the team last season while recovering from knee surgery in mid-December of 2012.

“The recovery was terrible. I was locked up in my house for about eight weeks,” he said. “I couldn’t walk and it was pretty rough. I had a lot of mixed emotions about everything but I battled back and I’ve never been better.”

Smith definitely has been a bright spot on the Rams this season. His bulking frame makes him the perfect protector for Rams newest quarterback, Cayman Shutter.

Smith is one of the seven first-year offensive linemen on the Rams roster, but he does look like a veteran on the field. The eight-month rehab did wonders for the Bert Fox graduate, as he is now the starting right guard for the Rams.

Even though times were dark, Smith never gave up hope on his dream. He always knew he was going to continue playing sports regardless of his knee or any other injuries.

Some people would think that Smith’s persistence could have cost him his career but at the same time it was also the thing that kept him going and motivated to come back early from surgery.

When asked about what his future goals were, Smith replied, “Getting a degree here and to go on to play professional football.”

Let’s all hope Smith can stay healthy and keep up the great start he has been having for the Rams.

Smith was in action with the team last Friday night when the Rams took on the visiting University of Calgary Dinos. Although it was a valiant effort from the Rams, a last-second Hail Mary couldn’t be brought down, and the team lost 34-27.

Another Rams comeback came up short Sept. 6 at Mosaic Stadium. The 0-2 Rams were up against the fifth ranked team in the country, the Calgary Dinos.

The Rams were down by 14 points with a little under two minutes remaining in the game when Regina quarterback Shutter threw a 61-yard reception to fifth-year wide receiver Kolten Solomon.

That led to a 6-yard touchdown pass to fourth-year slotback Jared Janotta. The Rams couldn’t pull off the two-touchdown comeback, and dropped their first regular season game at home since Oct. 22nd, 2011.

Shutter had a historical game setting the school record for most pass attempts in a single game going 27-58 for 404 yards and two touchdowns. It was also the first time a Regina quarterback has thrown for over 400 yards since former Rams quarterback Marc Mueller threw for 437 yards in October of 2011.

Solomon caught seven passes in total for 140 yards and one touchdown Fifth-years Brady Aulie at defensive back and Logan Brooks at defensive lineman lead the Rams with 5 ½ tackles each, while second-year safety Ryan Filyk picked off Dino’s QB Andrew Buckley for his first CIS interception.

The Rams next game is Sept. 14 when they head to Edmonton to play the University of Alberta Golden Bears. Next home game for the Rams will be against UBC on Sept. 21st at 7:00p.m. at Mosaic Stadium.

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