Oft-injured Husker Bland quits football

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LJS: Ankle troubles put endto Bland's career at NU

 

Oft-injured Husker Bland quits football

 

BY ELIZABETH MERRILL

 

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

 

LINCOLN - After five doctors, three surgeries and countless questions of "are you ready?", Philip Bland decided he'd had enough.

 

The Nebraska safety, who started as a freshman but has been plagued by injuries since, has decided to give up football and will go on medical hardship.

 

"It was really hard for him," Bland's mother, Sarah, said Thursday night. "He felt like he was a liability. . . . Well, not a liability.

 

"He just said, 'I don't think I'm going to be good for anybody.'"

 

Bland underwent ankle surgery in December but learned this week he'd need another operation. The senior-to-be from Lafayette, Colo., played the first month of the 2003 season but re-injured the ankle in the Southern Mississippi game.

 

He also missed spring ball in 2003 because of shoulder surgery. When he was relatively healthy, Bland was the Huskers' leading tackler through the 2002 regular season, finishing with 84 tackles and 44 solos. He missed the Independence Bowl because of injury.

 

Bland was set to battle Daniel Bullocks for the starting strong safety spot this fall.

 

"He really agonized over the decision," Sarah Bland said. "He's never had the opportunity to heal. The specialist didn't even know if this operation would do the trick.

 

"Philip said, 'I want to be able to shoot baskets with my kids when I have them. I want to be able to play tennis and golf.'"