Redshirting 'last option' for Karlin

ROB KEYS
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Arkansas Coach Gary Blair and senior forward Karyn Karlin showed up Thursday to talk about the Lady Razorbacks' upcoming season.
But somehow, someway, the conversation kept turning to Karlin's left knee.
"I have to deal with it every day, so you might as well just expect it," Karlin said.
Karlin's knee has become such a hot topic because she seemingly has hit a wall as she continues to rehabilitate from last March's anterior cruciate ligament surgery. It's not that Karlin isn't working hard. Ever since she was given the green light last spring, she has worked relentlessly to get back in playing shape in time for this season.
Last summer, Karlin often could be found working out in an empty, sweltering Barnhill Arena. She ran, rode a stationary bike and put herself through every drill imaginable in an effort to speed her recovery.
But sometime between then and now, Karlin hit a major bump in the road to recovery. She clearly has not been herself in preseason practice and struggled visibly to move up, down and around the court during last week's Red-White game.
"We're not exactly sure what it is, but there's something in there causing pain," Karlin said. "It hurts pretty much all the time."
The lingering pain and the fact Karlin says she is "definitely not more than 60 percent" healthy have prompted questions about her redshirting this season. And while Blair admitted he has thought about the scenario, he wants Karlin to play this season as long as she can be close to 100 percent by the time Arkansas begins the SEC portion of its schedule in January.
"We're not looking to redshirt her," Blair said. "We're trying to get her back, but we know it will probably be January before she's back to the speed that she played at last year.
"But even with one [healthy] leg, playing 60-80 percent, she's still better than anything we have inside besides Lonniya Bragg."
Likewise, Karlin is determined to fight through the pain and continue to rehab.
"I don't want to say that I'm strongly considering redshirting, because right now I'm doing everything in my power to get back," Karlin said. "Right now, that [redshirting] is pretty much the last option."
Even so, Karlin realizes she has only one year of eligibility left, whether it's this year or next year. For that reason, she doesn't want to play unless she's completely healthy.
"I don't want to throw in the towel and say I'm giving up, but I don't want to be playing at 60 percent all season, either," Karlin said. "I don't feel like I can help the team at 60 percent."
For now, Karlin will continue to go through intense weightlifting sessions designed to strengthen the muscles that stabilize the knee while cutting back on full-court and conditioning drills during practice.
Blair said Karlin will start in Arkansas' first exhibition game this Saturday, but she will play only 15 to 18 minutes. After that, Karlin's condition will be reevaluated and her weightlifting and running will be adjusted accordingly.
Because Karlin can decide to redshirt as long as she doesn't play in more than 20 percent of Arkansas' games, her status probably will remain in limbo.
And when will Arkansas have played 20 percent of its games?
"I'm not sure," Karlin said. "But I need to find out."
That date is Dec. 3, when Arkansas travels to Baylor. At that point, Arkansas will have played five games, roughly 19 percent of its schedule.
But until then, expect plenty more talk about Karlin's knee.

This article was published on Friday, November 5, 1999

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