Cal Football: LB Tattersall All the Way Back After Scary Injury

Evan Tattersall did not play play much last season as a redshirt freshman. Afterall, he was a backup to Evan Weaver, the nation's leading tackler who seldom came off the field.

Tattersall made headlines last season nonetheless, although not in the way he would have liked. During the November 16 game against USC, Tattersall received a crushing blow on a kickoff that left him motionless on the ground for a long period. He was eventually taken off the field on a stretcher and driven to the hospital with what appeared to be a serious injury.

It was a scary moment, but the news that followed was all positive. He never lost motion in his extremities. Tattersall was kept overnight at the hospital for observation, but was released and sent home the next day.

He was cleared to play football and returned to practice in mid-December as Cal prepared for the Redbox Bowl.

Now, three practices into spring football, Tattersall is among the leading contenders to land the starting spot vacated by Evan Weaver.

The injury is no longer a concern.

"Stuff like that, I don't think you an't play to be . . . you can't play not to get hurt," he said Saturday in the video above. "Stuff happens like that, so when that happens you just take a step back a little bit and recover and go right back in, because it's a freakin' drag, you could say, because I never had that happen before and I've played for 12, 13 years.

"I guess you could say, just keep playing, not be hesitant at all, keep playing how you play."

Tattersall's mission is to get on the field as a starting linebacker, which seems to be well within his grasp.