As Jake Matthews knows better than most, Lisfranc injuries can be devastating for athletes. The midfoot sprain is among the most difficult maladies from which to recover.
So it was no surprise when Matthews, a senior linebacker for the Arizona Wildcats, struggled at the outset of training camp. He had had surgery on his injured left foot about nine months earlier. He was experiencing severe pain and swelling in his ankle and knee. It got to the point where Matthews considered medical retirement.
But right around that time, Matthews’ teammate, friend and locker-room neighbor Zach Hemmila passed away. Matthews called his father in tears.
“I am not quitting football,” Matthews told his dad. “I am going to grind it out. I’m playing for Zach and playing for all those people that wish they were in my shoes.”
About six weeks later, Matthews is in line to start at middle linebacker. The senior is replacing Cody Ippolito, who is suspended for the first half of Saturday’s game against Hawaii after being ejected for targeting last week.
After fighting through those initial issues, Matthews gradually started to look and feel like his old self. He made a critical play after Ippolito’s ejection, forcing and recovering a fumble inside Arizona’s 10-yard line. The fourth-quarter play helped the UA preserve a 31-21 comeback victory over Grambling State.
“I definitely won’t ever be the same player,” said Matthews, a former two-sport star at Ironwood Ridge High. “But it’s definitely something I can push through and help my team.”
The way Matthews sees it, he has four months of football left in his life. It’s a sacrifice worth making. Matthews knows exactly what he’s putting himself through and what the possible consequences are.
You see, Matthews is pre-med. His major is pre-neuroscience and cognitive science. He plans to become a physician someday — an orthopedic surgeon or perhaps a podiatrist.
“Football’s important to Jake,” said his father, Clint Matthews. “But it’s not as important as him becoming a doctor.”
Clint is the co-owner and vice president of Bonita Steel Builders Inc., a Tucson construction company founded by his dad. After being hit hard by the recession, Clint urged sons Clay and Jake to get into the medical field. Clay recently graduated from the UA with a degree in physiology. Jake will need a fifth year to complete his undergraduate degree before hopefully starting medical school.
If you told Jake Matthews that he’s crazy for continuing to play football, you wouldn’t be the first. But to him, the rewards outweigh the potential risks.
“It also comes with discipline and great lessons that it teaches you and are applicable to life in general,” Matthews said. “How to deal with adversity, for sure.”
Matthews chose football over baseball. The Kansas City Royals selected him in the 38th round of the 2013 MLB draft. He also had opportunities to play college baseball.
But no one showed him more love than Rich Rodriguez and former defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Jeff Casteel. So Matthews elected to play football for his hometown school, even though he had to walk on at first.
“I’m grateful for the path I’ve chosen,” he said. “It’s really been worthwhile.
“These last four years have been amazing. It’s kind of crazy that it’s coming down to the last four months of football for my career. It’s pretty surreal.”
Matthews started six games as a sophomore and eight last year before hurting his foot against Utah on Nov. 14. He was on crutches for almost two months. He wasn’t thinking much about football during that period; he just wanted to walk again.
It wasn’t the first time Matthews wanted to get rid of something that was encumbering him. As a child, he tried to keep up with older brother Clay and his friend. Their bicycles were faster than his. So Clint took off the training wheels so Jake could make faster, sharper turns. Clay was 4 years old at the time; Jake was 2.
Now, on the football field, Jake Matthews is running, moving and cutting again. The training wheels are off.
“I’ve been really proud of the way he’s battled,” Rodriguez said. “That was a tough injury, a really tough injury. It took quite a bit to get back.”
Mixed signals
In addition to discussing Ippolito’s targeting penalty, Rodriguez also talked to the Pac-12 about two delay-of-game calls against the UA defense.
Rodriguez did not get the clarity he was seeking. Rodriguez was told the legality of the Wildcats’ pre-snap defensive calls would be up to the officials’ interpretation each week.
In the Grambling game, the officials twice ruled that Arizona simulated the sound or cadence of offensive starting signals. UA coaches and players say they use verbal cues to initiate movement just before the snap.
“We’re undersized; that’s our advantage,” defensive coordinator Marcel Yates said. “I felt like once they threw a couple flags on us that kind of hindered us a little bit from what we do best.
“Each crew is different. They’re basically saying we can’t do it when the offense is starting their cadence. But that varies according to offenses. Some guys say their cadence, stop and look to the sideline. I don’t know how to coach that up.”
Extra points
- Rodriguez indicated that receiver Nate Phillips (shoulder) will return for the Hawaii game after sitting out last week. Phillips’ apparent return is significant. The senior is a coach on the field, Rodriguez said, and Arizona really missed having him against Grambling.
- The Wildcats have spent more time working on tackling this week. One thing Yates wants his defenders to do is keep their feet moving and run through the ballcarrier. There was far too much lunging against the Tigers.
- Rodriguez said late kickoffs make it harder for coaches and players to spend time with visiting recruits. But he’s very happy with the 2017 class so far. Each of Arizona’s first four games is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. or later.
