So, Scott's collar bone is broken, and he's lost for the rest of the regular season.  That's a tough blow for him, the team, and us fans. But, I come to praise Charles Scott, not to bury him.

In 2007 I remembered him mostly for the last play of our 3OT loss at Kentucky. He got tackled short of first down yardage on 4th & short. Crap!  That was the year of another national championship and Jacob Hester was the star of the backfield.  It looked like Kieland Willams was the next best thing we had in the backfield (well, maybe Perrilloux). Over the offseason, Scott must have eaten his Wheaties, because in 2008 he was easily our best back.  I really, really like players who overcome their problems in the offseason and turn out to be studs (see Joe Addai after 2003 and Brandon LaFell after 2006). Scott became a wrecking crew, posting up 100 yard games routinely, scoring TDs like mad. After a couple games Poseur tried starting a "Scott for Heisman" campaign. At the Peach Bowl, where it seemed like he scored every 5 minutes, the guys on the game thread were resigned to that being Scott's last game as a Tiger. He would have been justified in going pro, but he came back. I really, really like players who do that too (See Kevin Faulk, Marcus Spears, Ben Wilkerson, Ciron Black, Glen Dorsey, Dwayne Bowe, and LaFell again).

It's practically unfair that a player turns down an instant payday for another year in college, only to get injured, but talk to Sam Bradford about that one. Scott may have been having an off year in stats, but there is something more to like about him. He offered to play FB because we lacked manpower and experience at that position. There is no evidence at all that he's complained about splitting carries with a crowded backfield over the years.  For the next three weeks, he'll do his rehab, try to stay in shape, and be a very burly cheerleader. 

There is still a bowl game. I doubt he'll be recovered to the extent that he can be the feature back in our bowl game, and with three more games in between, Ridley, Shepard, and even Williams are going to demand more playing time. But, hopefully, Scott is healthy enough for significant action in the bowl game--he deserves it, and he deserves being mentioned with all those other great players I named above.

He's still going to be playing on Sundays. I'll be one of many Tiger fans cheering for him for hopefully a long career, even if he goes to a team I hate, like Atlanta.

Charles Scott, you're a great player, and I hope I get to see you score another TD as a Tiger.