SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Sitting in a far corner of the Wofford college practice fields with a pair of crutches resting nearby is the last thing defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu expected to be doing Tuesday afternoon.
But so it goes in his profession, where one second's sprint into the open field is the next moment's cart away from it, and where a bright Monday morning with boundless promise detoured into a murky fog where his future for the rest of the season remains uncertain.
Kemoeatu watched his teammates move on without him Tuesday. He propped his right foot on a chair while passing the time until Wednesday morning, when he undergoes surgery to repair his ruptured Achilles tendon.
The timetable for his return is still unknown.
"It might be months. We're not sure yet," he said. "After the surgery, I might be off of it for about four weeks, they were telling me. We're going to see from there. Maybe I make it back for the playoffs or the last month of the (regular) season, but we're not sure yet.
"I'm holding on to every hope that I can that I can get back onto the field and play with the boys."
For the moment, Kemoeatu can only take in the best wishes of his teammates, and look back on how his season was transformed with the snap of a tendon.
"We were in a pursuit drill and I was just running," Kemoeatu said. "I felt it tighten up. With the pursuit drill, I've got to run it to the line, so I've got five more yards to go, and then I figured I could push through it. I took another two steps and it just popped.
"I didn't know what it was. The trainers explained it to me: 'You lost your Achilles.' I was like, 'What does that mean?' They said, 'You can't walk.' But I'll be on the sideline supporting the team."
And they supported him Tuesday, with several players quickly joining him on the cart that took him away from the fields and up to the Richardson Center following the two-and-a-quarter-hour session Tuesday afternoon. Guard
HAYDEN STEPS UP AFTER SLIMMING DOWN:
With Kemoeatu injured, defensive tackle
But Hayden cuts a different figure now than he did during his only previous start, in the 2008 regular-season finale at New Orleans. Since then, he's dropped 10 pounds -- not by edict of the coaches, but because he knew it would help him handle the running required in defensive coordinator Ron Meeks' scheme.
"There's more penetration this year, trying to get up the field," Hayden said. "I came in this year a lot skinnier; I lost a lot of weight, just trying to be quicker. Everyone on the defensive line is trying to be quicker and get to the quarterback a lot faster."
Meeks noticed.
"The way we play, they had to get their weight down to get into condition and be able to survive," he said. "I think that's a survival thing. They did a good job for the most part. Most of the guys came in under their weight, and I think that's a good thing."
SPLIT SECONDS:
Two rookie offensive linemen --
... Linebacker Jon Beason sat out for a second consecutive practice after aggravating a hamstring that he had previously "tweaked" during a workout a week and a half earlier.
... Defensive line coach Brian Baker continued his detailed teaching Tuesday, emphasizing to
... The Panthers' special-team period was devoted to punt returns.
... The team reconvenes Wednesday morning for a 9:10 a.m. EDT practice. The afternoon sessions begins at 3:10 p.m. EDT ...
ROARS
3:39 P.M. EDT: Brian Baker working on teaching DLs to keep their elbows down and in, demonstrating on Everette Brown, working against
3:53 P.M. EDT: Larry Beavers went back to the double move but
4:49 P.M. EDT:
4:57 P.M. EDT: Good period for
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Rookie quarterback
A hallmark of Meeks' defense is its persistence; the Colts led the league in forced fumbles the last seven years, and many of those came on long gains when defenders kept chasing and stripped loose the football.
WHAT'S NEXT:
Sessions at 9:10 a.m. and 3:10 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.
