Herzlich Eyeing Return to Eagles Next Season

[jgod213]

Looks like BC linebacker Mark Herzlich is responding well to treatment and could return next season after a medical redshirt this year...


http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4423973

Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich, who was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer this spring, is returning to classes this week and hopes to play for the Eagles again next season.

Herzlich, the 2008 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Butkus Award as college football's top linebacker, will finish his radiation therapy this week. The 21-year-old still faces five rounds of chemotherapy, but his doctors are encouraged by the early results of his treatment for Ewing's sarcoma.

Herzlich, who has one season of college eligibility left, was initially told by doctors that he would not be able to play football again. But Herzlich said he hopes to play for Boston College in 2010 and possibly in the NFL after college. Last season, he led the Eagles with 110 tackles, six interceptions and had 13 tackles for loss.

"That's my goal," Herzlich said. "Obviously, I'm not going to play this year because of the chemo. But I'm going to spend a lot more time in the film room and will do more mental learning. I really want to come back next year and pick up where I left off."

Wouldn't that be something? From one of the more tragic sports news stories to possibly one of the most inspiring...

Turns out his decision to turn down the NFL and go back to school will end up being one of the best decisions of his life.  Good luck, Mark.

[Rondo2287]

this would be so amazing if he did this.  This kid is an absolute stud of a linebacker.  ON espn they did a list of the top players in the ACC and a commentor asked where herzlich would be if he were playing, and the writer responded, "Spots 1,2, and 3"  Good Luck Mark

[jgod213]

this would be so amazing if he did this.  This kid is an absolute stud of a linebacker.  ON espn they did a list of the top players in the ACC and a commentor asked where herzlich would be if he were playing, and the writer responded, "Spots 1,2, and 3"  Good Luck Mark

Yeah he would've been a top 30 pick in last years draft without question.  Obviously the extra film study will help a lot, but i wonder how much you lose when you've been playing football all your life and are forced to sit out a whole year...

Regardless, i'm sure Spaz would love having his leadership (be it on the sidelines) on the team while they go through this rebuilding process and whil Mark works his way back.

[Big_Matt34]

I just posted the same thing on another site, it would be a hell of a story if he comes back. As a player, the guy is a freak of nature. He is 6'4 240 and i wouldnt be suprised if he could run a high 4.5 40 before the cancer, he actually reminds me of Adilius Thomas. Think about this, as a LB not only did he lead the team in tackles and tackles for losses, but also interceptions and 2 defensive touchdowns. He also won ACC DPOY over Aaron Curry who was the 4th pick of the draft. There is no doubt that if he was healthy this year and had played he would of been a top 15 pick.

I do think he comes back next year and hopefully makes it to the NFL. i dont think he will be a 1st or even 2nd round draft pick because teams know Ewings Sarcoma has a high recurrence rate but i have no doubt if he gets the the NFL, he will be a star. What really is amazing to me is that he has been able lift weights through all the chemo and radiation, dude is the defination of a fighter.

This part from a Globe story from about a month ago has really stuck with me, i think its awesome how he has dealt with it all.

He said he is prepared for the possibility his comeback bid could fail. But he recently told BC defensive coordinator Bill McGovern’s wife, Colleen, not to worry, that he will return to the field in 2010. He sees himself charging out of the tunnel into BC’s Alumni Stadium in an Eagles uniform, his hair and beard grown back, his cheeks painted black, waving his gold and maroon helmet above his head, healthy and proud.

“Whether it happens or not,’’ Herzlich said, “no one can ever take that image away from me.’’

[nickagneta]

I guess he decided not to get the surgery in order to attempt to reduce and eradicate the tumors with radiation therapy. The problem is that the radiation and lack of surgery is going to leave the leg very weak and prone to easy breaks if exerted on too much.

I wish him the best and hope this is one of the greatest comeback stories ever, but my guess is that he is going to have a tough time as that leg is not going to be what it ever once was and he may have a nasty break at some point.

Good luck.

[SquishPCfriar]

His family is very close to mine and its good to hear thats he may be able to make a comeback.

[Big_Matt34]

I think it will help the team alot with him on the sidelines for their games. He brings so much intensity, while it will be hard for him to have to watch and not play it will mean alot to the team.

Also, while he won't be Herzlich, Dominick Legrande has supposedly looked great as the replacement. He was a QB is HS, a safety last year as a freshman, so he brings great athleticism to the position like Mark and supposedly has a great football IQ. I think people are sleeping on BC a bit this year, I saw Andre Ware on Espn pick them to win 2 games. I know QB is a question, but they have a great line, 2 VERY good young RB's, and as good of a secondary as any team in the ACC. I dont think they win 9 or 10 games, but i think they finish over .500 which would be a heck of a year considering everything that happened.

[nickagneta]

I think it will help the team alot with him on the sidelines for their games. He brings so much intensity, while it will be hard for him to have to watch and not play it will mean alot to the team.

Also, while he won't be Herzlich, Dominick Legrande has supposedly looked great as the replacement. He was a QB is HS, a safety last year as a freshman, so he brings great athleticism to the position like Mark and supposedly has a great football IQ. I think people are sleeping on BC a bit this year, I saw Andre Ware on Espn pick them to win 2 games. I know QB is a question, but they have a great line, 2 VERY good young RB's, and as good of a secondary as any team in the ACC. I dont think they win 9 or 10 games, but i think they finish over .500 which would be a heck of a year considering everything that happened.

Spoke recently with two top execs in college athletics and both agreed that Herzlich would have been a top 2 pick for the NFL draft next year had he not have contracted the Ewing's sarcoma. What could have been. That interception vs Maryland last year where he laid out for the catch was without a doubt the most athletic play I have ever seen from a LB/DL type in my entire time watching football, ever.

[Big_Matt34]

Spoke recently with two top execs in college athletics and both agreed that Herzlich would have been a top 2 pick for the NFL draft next year had he not have contracted the Ewing's sarcoma. What could have been. That interception vs Maryland last year where he laid out for the catch was without a doubt the most athletic play I have ever seen from a LB/DL type in my entire time watching football, ever.

Thats what i was saying earlier and you are right on. He is an absolute freak of nature, the speed/quickness he has for his size is unreal and ontop of that he has great football IQ. The saying is overused in sports, but Mark was literally a man amongst boys most of the time. The last two years, and last year especially he looked like an NFL player playing in college, which is the ultimate compliment id think. I mean look at this video below, you see him stick RB's in the backfield, sack the QB a few times, deflect passes, line up agaisnt a WR and pick off the pass, return another pick for a touchdown, the dude could do it all. My favorite parts are the hit at 46 seconds, then the pick at 1:12 where he looks like a RB with the speed and the juke, the pick six at the end is pretty nice too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1t0k4EGKJQ

[Big_Matt34]

Mark Herzlich was on the Scott Van Pelt show earlier today and dropped some great news. One of his doctors told him that he is as sure as he can be without doing a biopsy that the cancer is gone.

If/when he does return it's going to be one hell of a story. Gameday is at Chesnut Hill for the BC/FSU game Saturday, im guessing there is going to be alot of Herzlich coverage.

[Rondo2287]

Soo, The pats are probably going to have a top 10 pick after he comes back... What do people think?  Him and Mayo would be scary

[Big_Matt34]

Soo, The pats are probably going to have a top 10 pick after he comes back... What do people think?  Him and Mayo would be scary

Just a guess, but even if he does come back and look great i don't think a team will risk taking him in the first roung. Nevermind the high recurrence rate, but they are putting a steel rod in his leg for support and it's probably never going to be 100% again strength-wise.

Him and Mayo would be a monster duo though lol, two freaks of nature with insane work ethic. Id be perfectly content taking him with their own first however, which im hoping would be very late in the first.

[Rondo2287]

Consider, Thomas/Mayo/Herzlich.  Would that be one of the more freakishly athletic NFL linebacking core?

[Big_Matt34]

Consider, Thomas/Mayo/Herzlich.  Would that be one of the more freakishly athletic NFL linebacking core?

I would have to think so, Herzlich has always been compared to Adilius who even at his age is one of the most athletic LB's in the league. And obviously we all know how athletic Mayo is, guy is just a monster.

[Big_Matt34]

Figured this was important enough to bring this thread back, great news. If he is even close to what he was they will have one the best best LB cores in the country.

http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/ncf/news/story?id=4846399

BOSTON -- Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich is back on the practice field for the first time since leaving the team to undergo cancer treatment.

Herzlich led part of the captain's practice on Thursday in the bubble-covered field at Alumni Stadium.

The BC linebacker was the Atlantic Coast Conference defensive player of the year in 2008. He was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, the next spring.

He missed all of last season.