Coming off a rock-solid rookie campaign, Spencer Larsen was set on making a big splash in his second season at the pro ranks.
Against the Falcons last season, Larsen became the first Bronco in team history to start on both offense (fullback) and defense (linebacker) in the same game. Against coverage units, Larsen became a standout special teams player, finishing tied for third on the club with nine tackles. He was fast becoming known as one of the Broncos’ most versatile players.
This offseason, Larsen was determined to continue his role as a multidimensional player. Thus, he dug deep into his collection of playbooks during his spare time, while rotating between offensive, defensive and special teams meetings during OTAs, mini-camps and training camp.
Finally confident in the different concepts thrown at him, Larsen was set on applying what he learned during the offseason in the team’s regular season opener at Cincinnati. Those plans, however, were quickly derailed by a freak pregame accident. As the game was nearing kickoff, Larsen slipped and fell in the locker room, landing on his shoulder and costing him several weeks of action.
“I watched the game in the locker room by myself with ice on my shoulder for three hours,” Larsen remembers. “It was a wonderful win, but it was very hard seeing everybody come in at halftime and not being able to be a part of it.”
Larsen, who returned to practice field on Monday, said his frustration level with the injury stemmed not just from the injury itself, but how the injury occurred. He called it a “challenging time.”
“It wasn’t something like I went and had a big hit or something like that – a cool story I could tell everybody,” Larsen said. “It was something very very weird that happened. A lot of coaches told me it was one of the worst things they’ve ever seen.”
As disappointed as he has been to miss the first six games of the season, Larsen remained focused on the task at hand — doing everything necessary to return to the field. To maintain his performance level, he worked tirelessly to stay in shape on a daily basis with Strength and Conditioning Coach Rich Tuten.
Just as importantly, Larsen has stayed mentally prepared by keeping the same routine he maintains while he plays.
“I have been doing everything I’d be doing if I was going to play,” Larsen said. “I’ve watched all the film, I’ve been in every meeting, I’ve been in every walk through.”
Larsen said he will not know if he’ll be on the field this Sunday until he sees how his shoulder responds — starting Monday — to a week’s worth of practice.
But Head Coach Josh McDaniels appears to be eager to use Larsen’s unique services in the near future. McDaniels said he expected Larsen to contribute to all four phases of the kicking game at the onset of the season, and still hopes he’ll excel at that role during the stretch run.
McDaniels also believes Larsen can be a valuable contributor at linebacker and fullback.
“A player like that, that can add that versatility to your team, I think, is the kind of guy that you want to wait on (when injured),” McDaniels said.
“If you are waiting on a guy that can only do one thing, maybe the decision would be more difficult,” he continued. “It wasn’t an injury that we felt like would keep him out past the bye week. Hopefully, that will be the case this week as he returns to the field and we can see his progress. Hopefully, he will be able to make an impact on our team going down the stretch here.”
PRO BOWL VOTING
Just a quick reminder that voting for the 2010 Pro Bowl has kicked off on NFL.com. To vote for your favorite Broncos, click here.
Here are some more pictures from today’s practice.
– Zach Eisendrath, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Spencer Larsen, Week 8
Now that Larsen is coming back, do you think Hillis will get some more touches? Now we’ll have 2 guys that can play FB and I know we don’t use a lot of 2 back sets, but maybe McD was making sure we didn’t run into an injury problem if Hillis got hurt?? Just a thought…
i do think that hillis will get more touches, i beleive that he didnt get much because he was filling in for larsen on special teams. Hillis was one of my favorite players last year, powerful running, good hands and determination.
So far you guys are all over the map, some guys have as little as a 3 point spread, or as large as a 31 point spread! That ought to be interesting… I’m holding back til the weekend to make my pick as usual, I don’t know why because by then, with all the numbers you guys post, I’m pretty well screwed up! LOL.
baylinorcrush,
You’re like the Yoda of point spreads. Use your Jedi like mind tricks and move your opponents out of the way LOL! Bronco fan #1 are you LOL!
brian_schneider,
Honestly, I don’t think that Peyton gets many more touches. I think JMac knows if it comes down to it he can move to Peyton. I think he likes the Moren + Correl combination. These guys are running extremely well and it’s a formula that doesn’t need to be messed with at this time.
However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hillis sees more short yardage situations. Wether that be at RB or as he has done already this year as FB in front of Moreno.
IMO, I don’t see the value at this point putting him into the running game as a RB when the schedule is only going to get tougher and Moreno and Correl need all the touches they can get to build confidence and rythm.
Just my opinion!
At any rate, Peyton is and would be a force to be reckoned with. So glad he’s a Bronco.
GO GET EM’ BOYS!
I hope the broncos are well rested & ready to play some tough football. If they continue to play the way they have been playing then they should be OK. The ravens have always given the broncos a tough time. I look forward to seeing their record go to 7-0. Play tough broncos. “GO BRONCOS!”
baylinorcrush
Put me in for a close game Broncos 17 Ravens 13. In overtime!
FTR
FTR, funny raidrhadr has the same identical pick, must be that Raider phoebia thing, LOL.
FTR, that one almost went over my head, in overtime, 17-13! this is not college! Anyway, OT or not, picks are for final score.
Actually even in college OT, that score wouldn’t work because they wouldn’t score the point after.
13to16 broncos
21 to 13 broncos
Broncfalls…. i agree, i dont see hillis breaking into the top 2 rotation, but i would love to see him move up to the #3 ahead of that ex raider that i just cant seem to get on board with! lol seriously, i would prefer to see hillis in there on those short yardage situations than jordan! lamont just has not impressed me in the least this year! if its about FB depth, then move jordan to FB and promote hillis to short yardage HB! hillis is ready to get a bit of redemption for is early season mistakes!! put him in coach!! lol
Go Broncos
“DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS”
Broncos504, we only take one prediction per game, the first one, I got you down for 16-13 Bronco win.