Watkins hopeful for return against Wolfpack

Sammy Watkins had to leave the game after this 17 yd reception.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Mon Nov 14 13:48:26 GMT-04:00 2011

CLEMSON – The good news for Clemson fans is that freshman wide receiver Sammy Watkins Sammy Watkins
Fr. Wide Receiver
#2 6-1, 200
Fort Myers, FL
View Full Profile met with the media Monday afternoon in the WestZone, and he said he is hopeful he can be full speed at practice on Thursday.

Watkins was injured in the third quarter of Saturday’s 31-28 win over Wake Forest, and he said it happened when he fell on the ball after a 17-yard reception that took the Tigers into Wake Forest territory at the Demon Deacon 38-yard line.

“I just landed on it kind of awkward,” he said. “I had the ball in my arm, and I couldn’t catch myself. I just fell on it real hard.”

Watkins said his pain level was a “three or four” out of 10, and said he likes his chances of getting better as the week progresses.

“I am actually getting better day-by-day,” he said. “I might be limited, but I might play. It will be how I go through this week and go through treatment and through practice Thursday and Friday. And then we will see if they let me play.”

Watkins had an x-ray at the stadium that was negative, and an MRI on Sunday that also showed no structural damage.

He has been diagnosed with an AC joint sprain. The acromioclavicular [or AC} joint is located at the top of the shoulder where the acromion process and the clavicle meet to form a joint. Several ligaments surround this joint, and depending on the severity of the injury, a person may tear or sprain one or all of the ligaments.

Watkins said he feared the worst as he left the field to head to the locker room for x-rays.

“I actually thought I had messed it up pretty bad because I was hurting,” he said. “But then they said it was ok, and I had the x-ray and then I had the MRI on Sunday. “

Watkins said the trainers wouldn’t let him head back to the sideline to watch the rest of the game because they were afraid the post-game crowd would hurt him even worse, and as a result could only listen in as Chandler CatanzaroChandler Catanzaro
RS So. Punter / Kicker
#39 6-2, 200
Greenville, SC
View Full Profile hit the game-winning field goal.

“I just heard the crowd. I didn’t really get to see it,” he said. “I was mad because they wouldn’t let me go back out, but they didn’t want me to get hit. I understand that.”