Published Aug 17, 2021
Doty staying 'resilient' despite foot injury
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Collyn Taylor  •  GamecockScoop
Beat Writer
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@collyntaylor

No one would have faulted Luke Doty if he walked into the media room frustrated.

The presumed starting quarterback is dealing with a foot injury potentially murking up his availability for the Gamecocks’ season opener less than three weeks away.

But, in typical Doty fashion, frustration was replaced with optimism.

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“It’s really been positive,” Doty said, matter-of-factly. “Obviously it’s not the best situation, not an ideal situation, but it’s football. Stuff like this happens. You get injured. You have to take it for what it is.”

Also see: Insider notes from Tuesday's practice

Doty is dealing with a mid-foot sprain he suffered late in Friday’s practice when someone stepped on him. At the time, he didn’t think anything of it—even finishing the drill—but since the injury has confined him to a cast and to moving around on a scooter, tricked out with a bell.

Still with an air of optimism around him and the prognosis, Doty is hoping he’s back for week one and, if he isn’t, back sooner rather than later.

“The recovery time is pretty good. We definitely have a positive outlook on everything,” he said. “Right now I’m just doing everything I can to get healthy and hope to be back for week one.”

Also see: Player notes from Tuesday's media availability

The plan is for Doty to get out of the cast and off the scooter in a few days and go full steam ahead into his rehab.

Once he does, it’s about getting back into shape and into practice to try and knock off the rust for whichever game is next up on the schedule.

Doty is staying ready—he is still throwing a ball every day to keep the arm loose—and doesn’t think he’ll need much time at all to get physically ready once he’s cleared.

“I don’t imagine it being long. I’m pretty resilient when it comes to these kind of things and take a lot of pride in that, just doing whatever I can to get myself healthy in terms of eating right and sleeping and recovering as much as I can,” he said. “I wouldn’t imagine it would take long, but definitely need to get back in shape.”

What the break from physically participating in practice has given Doty is a chance to spend a little more time on the mental side of things: watching film breakdowns and doing some early scouting on some of South Carolina’s early-season opponents.

Also see: What we learned coming out of Saturday's scrimmage

“It’s allowed me to take a step back from the physical side of it and look at it from a mental standpoint,” he said. “I’m just going back and watching film, preparing for Eastern Illinois and some of the early scouting stuff and diving into the playbook. I’m doing what I can from a mental side of it to make sure I’m ready to go and prepared for when I can step back on the field.”

Time will tell just how long Doty is out dealing with his injury, but regardless of the duration it seems there’s nothing that can frustrate Doty as he goes through the process with an end goal in mind.

“I mean definitely not rush anything. Every day try and do something to get healthy, get back in shape,” he said. “I’m in a boot and rolling around on a scooter but that won’t be for long. Another few days in this and it’ll be full go on the rehab and doing everything I can to make sure I’m healthy and ready to go both physically and mentally.”

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