The 2006 UH football season was short and tough for senior outside linebacker Rocky Schwartz.
On the opening drive of the Cougar’s third game of the season against Grambling State, Schwartz went down with a season-ending knee injury.
Almost a year later, Schwartz is in good condition and once again on the field with the Cougars.
During the opening game of the 2007 season against Oregon, Schwartz had four tackles and one pass break-up, showing no ill effects from the knee injury.
"Rocky suffered a torn ACL, which is the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee," UH head athletics trainer Mike O’Shea said. "This is a pretty common injury suffered by many college and professional athletes in many different sports."
O’Shea noted that the knee injury Schwartz sustained is not typically caused by a collision.
"Anytime there is an ACL injury like Rocky had, you have a running, planting, twisting, kind of play," O’Shea said. "It is usually a non-contact injury."
His knee blown, Schwartz was forced to sit out the remainder of the Cougars Conference USA Championship season.
Schwartz has undergone strenuous rehabilitation since a surgery on his knee in October of last year, performing various strengthening exercises.
"The goal was to gradually build back up the strength in his knee," O’Shea said. "Rocky went through a period of different segments in which he spent time on the bicycle, swimming and did other outside functions. Once he was able to do all of that, he was eased back into other football activities."
Schwartz may not have been working hard on the field, but he still worked hard to get his knee back into shape.
"I was doing rehab on my knee every single day," Schwartz said. "One of the main exercises I did was step down’s, going up and down stairs, which can really be tough."
Associate athletics trainer John Houston has been by Swartz’s side throughout his rehabilitation, seeing to it that the linebacker was well on his way to recovery.
"I have worked a whole lot with trainer John Houston," Schwartz said. "We were pretty much working out with my knee on a daily basis."
For Schwartz, recovering from his season-ending knee injury was tough.
"Things definitely got a little easier as time went on," Schwartz said. "The first few months were the hardest. I had to sit out some of the exercises with the team, like squats, because my knee wasn’t quite ready."
It also wasn’t easy watching his team win the C-USA Championship from the sidelines instead of participating.
"It has been hard having to watch games and practices," Schwartz said. "It’s almost as bad as when I was a redshirt freshman."
O’Shea has full confidence that Schwartz will be able to come back from his injury and play at full strength this season.
"Rocky is ready to go," O’Shea said. "He is ready without a doubt."
Often considered one of the main anchors of the Cougar defense, Schwartz will look to return to his 2005 season form in which he recorded a team-leading 114 tackles.
Schwartz has also looked good in practice and expects his knee to be back to full strength, but he knows he can’t worry too much about re-injuring his knee.
"My knee is healed and feels real good," Schwartz said. "Overcoming the knee injury is just as much a mental thing as it is physical."
Head coach Art Briles, along with the rest of the UH football coaching staff and trainers, has made sure Schwartz has taken the proper measures to keep from further damaging his knee.
"Whenever we have to move practice inside, the coaches have limited me a little bit on the turf so it doesn’t inflame my knee," Schwartz said.
Although the rehabilitation process has been tough, Schwartz said he is glad to be back on the field.
Schwartz also said he is grateful for the encouragement he has received from his coaches, players, trainers and his family.
"Everyone has been very supportive throughout my rehab process," Schwartz said. "When dealing with an injury like this, you really have to be optimistic yourself if you want to work through it."
