This is, in my view, just about the worst news possible, short term: Vernon is not only the heart of that D, talent-wise (best in the country--don't CARE what anyone else says), he is in many ways, among the players, the heart of this team now. Yes, he was great even on the sidelines last week, but we need him OUT there. Period. There is no other person on this team currently that I would say that about. If this game is close, Vernon's presence ON THE FIELD could well make the difference.
So this sucks. It means, more than ever, that our "which one will show up?"-offense (as in, "the explosive, good ol' can't-be-stopped" one, or the stumbling, bumbling, "I don't know why I'm holding this guy AWAY-from-the-play but I'm a STAR" cluster-f*ck that steps out there bout half the time so far) will probably determine whether we win another KY game--or finally embarrass ourselves for all to see.
This is exactly why I am still more or less content to be mostly ignored by the national media for now. I don't WANNA be on Sportscenter a la Arkansas and the like first couple weeks here. We got too much learning and growing to do.
