Jerue Plans to Culminate Comeback Against Saints
Mark Jerue’s football obituary was written long ago, yet he refused to let it go to publication.
Jerue has had a nice six-year career with the Rams. He was a starter, at times, at inside linebacker and made 109 tackles in 1986. He could have let it go at that, but didn’t.
Last February, Dr. Clarence Shields opened Jerue’s left knee for the third time in two years, and what he did inside with his scalpel was meant to get Jerue walking again, not playing again.
There were four holes the size of quarters, where cartilage had worn through to the bone.
Explained Jerue: “They drill little holes into the bone and hope that the bone marrow comes back up and fills in like putty.”
Shields told Jerue his chances of playing again were less than 50-50.
In May, Jerue still couldn’t run 10 yards.
Wednesday, the Rams moved Jerue to the active roster, and he’s expected to play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
Some feel what happened in between defies medical reason and can best be described as a rehabilitation for the ages.
“You know,” Coach John Robinson said, “they don’t play music. It’s not uplifting like it is in the movies. It’s hard, it’s dirty, it’s ugly and it’s slow. This guy’s a little bit of a nut--I don’t say that critically at all. It’s very complimentary to how hard he’s willing to work for it.”
Jerue, working closely with Ram strength trainer Garrett Giemont, set out last spring to confound the experts.
“I told him from the start of this rehab that he will come back and play,” Giemont said, “that we are not going to be denied. I told him there will come a day when he will look at me and say, ‘I’m tired of this, I’m ready to play.’ Basically, he did exactly that a couple of weeks ago on the football field, and that was a nice day.”
Jerue, who could play for as many as 20 snaps against the Saints, joins a depleted Ram linebacking unit that has indefinitely lost Fred Strickland to a severe ankle sprain.
Jerue, a workout warrior in healthy times, even doubted whether a comeback was possible.
“I never really knew if I’d make it or not, but I never thought about giving up,” he said. “I wasn’t going to quit. I’ve just got to thank Gie(mont) again for telling me that it can be done.”
Giemont said Jerue’s work ethic was the difference between playing again and retirement.
“I keep attendance records in the off-seasons, and Mark is always right there,” Giemont said. “As a matter of fact, if I had to break it down, Mark Jerue in the past five years has had the greatest attendance in the off-season, of just work, period.”
No doubt, it has paid off.
“The story’s not complete until I can put a few games together,” Jerue cautioned.
Yet, he went through Wednesday’s practice with no pain. Defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur says Jerue has lost none of his quickness.
“It’s miraculous that he’s back and doing what he’s doing, no question about that,” Shurmur said. “I think that’s a tribute to him, Giemont and a couple of guys saying the odds are long . . . but we’re going to beat it. And they did.”
Jerue was more encouraged by Wednesday’s full-contact workout.
“I’d take today for the rest of the year if I could keep going like that,” he said.
How has the shock of Monday night’s last-minute loss to Buffalo affected the Rams’ younger players? Was it as tough to swallow as, say, UCLA losing to USC?
No way, a former Bruin said Wednesday.
“That’s a heart-breaking feeling, one of those end-of-the year feelings,” cornerback Darryl Henley said of losing to the Trojans last season. “This loss hurts, and it was a long plane ride, but we still got 10 games left. You almost have to automatically rebound right away.”
Henley said the young Rams have responded well.
“You just wanna kind of follow the older guys,” he said. “And you usually respond with the same mood, the same tone as they respond. And they’ve been pretty good about it.”
Tight end Pete Holohan is one who’s trying to lead by example, though he admits it hasn’t been easy.
“It kind of leaves a sick feeling in your stomach the whole way home,” Holohan said of the loss. “You feel rotten. I’m sure it’s dramatic for the young guys in the sense that it just goes to show in this league, one minute you’re ahead and the next minute you’re not, so you’d better not take anything for granted. You’d just better go out there and play.”
Ram Notes
To make room for Mark Jerue on the roster, the team placed rookie cornerback Alfred Jackson on injured reserve with a groin injury. The Rams also exercised their option on rookie linebacker Brian Smith, who has been on injured reserve with a wrist injury. Under new rules, Smith had to be either activated, waived or returned to practice this week. Smith, the second-round pick from Auburn, will remain on IR and resume practicing, forcing the team to cut one member of its developmental squad. . . . Flipper Anderson is averaging 32.8 yards per reception, 10 more yards per catch than league runner-up Mervyn Fernandez of the Raiders. How remarkable is the statistic? “Thirty-two yards per catch?” Coach John Robinson said. “That’s further than our net punting is.” He’s right. Punter Dale Hatcher is averaging 31.4 net yards per punt. In fact, Anderson’s average is better than 10 net punting averages around the league. . . . As of Wednesday evening, about 5,000 tickets remained for Sunday’s game against New Orleans at Anaheim Stadium. In order for the local television blackout to be lifted, the game must sell out by 1 p.m. today. . . . More on Jerue: He’s had three operations on the left knee, two during the 1987 season. He started the first 12 games at inside linebacker last season before the pain finally forced him out of the lineup. . . . Further X-rays of Fred Strickland’s left ankle showed no break, though he was walking on crutches Wednesday.
