NFL Tickets
It wasn’t that long ago that Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker suffered a third concussion over a two-year period during a preseason game with the Houston Texans. At the time, questions were asked about how Welker’s long-term health might be affected. Fortunately for Welker, his current suspension for violating the NFL‘s PED policy allows the 10-year veteran a chance to appropriately heal his brain.
The same cannot be said for Connecticut Huskies quarterback Casey Cochran. A promising prospect who started UConn’s final four games of last season and won the starting job during preseason, Cochran was forced to retire after suffering another concussion against BYU in the season-opener.
It’s a sad truth of football that careers are often cut short due to injuries. Cochran now joins countless others who have had their athletic dreams waylaid by the injury bug.
Of course, Cochran’s retirement reflects something else. While his career is sadly over, the news illustrates that increased levels of both diagnoses and treatment are having their intended effect. In other words, everyone involved properly concluded Cochran’s long-term health outweighed the prospect of football glory.
On the field, it’s a loss for the Huskies. Cochran appeared in eight games as a freshman, passing for 1,293 yards and 11 touchdowns with just four interceptions. In his final four starts of last year, Cochran led the Huskies to wins over Temple, Rutgers and Memphis. During his one start this season, Cochran completed 17-of-31 passes for 171 yards. Those numbers alone indicate Connecticut has lost a valuable asset to their football team.
In the end, the risks to Cochran became too great. To his credit, Huskies coach Bob Diaco commended the quarterback for his intelligence and suggested Cochran is now on the road to a coaching career. If his brief college career showed anything, it’s that Cochran certainly understands football. Should he successfully translate his own experiences into an evolving coaching philosophy, Cochran should make a fine mentor someday.
In the meantime, the Huskies will turn the reigns over to former-backup Chandler Whitmer, a redshirt senior who led UConn to a victory over Stony Brook last week.
As for Cochran, both he and the Huskies deserve credit for taking a necessary step in preserving his long-term health. While concussion protocols are now enforced with feverish vigor, problems still abound. One need only look to weekly college football and NFL injury reports to realize head-trauma issues won’t be subsiding anytime soon.
If nothing else, Cochran’s decision to retire serves as a reminder of necessary vigilance in concussion treatment. Progress is unquestionably being made on both understanding and supporting athletes exposed to the dangers of head trauma. Casey Cochran is living proof of it.
Hopefully, others won’t be afraid to follow in his footsteps when the need arises.
Matt Johnson is a Big Ten basketball writer for www.rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter at mattytheole or “like” him on Facebook.
Share 
