Josh Proctor Ahead Of Schedule In Return From Injury, Excited By Ohio State's Safety-Driven Defense

The fifth-year senior suffered a season-ending compound fracture in his leg in the loss to Oregon.

Author:
Andrew Lind
Apr 8, 2022 4:38 PM EDT

In this story:

In an alternate timeline, Ohio State fifth-year senior safety Josh Proctor would be getting ready for this month’s NFL Draft instead of working his way back from compound fracture in his leg that prematurely ended his 2021 season.

But speaking with the media for the first time since he suffered the gruesome injury in the loss to Oregon, which involved his bone ripping through the skin of his right leg, Proctor discussed the lengthy rehab process that followed and how close he is to returning to full strength.

“I feel good,” Proctor said on Friday, noting he’s roughly 80 to 85 percent healthy and about a month and a half ahead of schedule. “I feel like I’m able to get out there and run around, just getting my legs back under me. This is actually my first full week being able to do team reps and everything, so it’s just trying to get back out there. I know I have some time to go.

"First getting back out there is kind of shaky, everything’s still moving fast again. Just being back out there, heart pumping a little bit, but it just takes some getting used to, getting those reps, calming yourself down and getting that confidence back day by day.”

The 6-foot-2 and 205-pound Proctor was well on his way to being an impact player for the Buckeyes last season before he suffered the injury, so it wasn't a surprise to see the defense struggle mightily without his leadership and physicality on the back end.

It was difficult for Proctor to watch that happen, as well, but he ultimately came to terms with the situation and realized the only way for him to help the defense get better was to get healthy for this season.

“I feel like it probably took me a good month or two to really grasp, ‘OK, I’m working my way back to another year and getting back into the swing of things,” Proctor said. “It was pretty difficult because I felt like I could have helped and I had goals, but I felt that it was maybe God’s plan to kind of sit me down. Maybe I wasn’t read. Who knows?”

“I feel like me sitting down and being able to just watch my team from a different lens gave me a different view of what’s going on out there and ways I can help and ways we can improve.”

The injury could ultimately be a blessing in disguise for Proctor, who will have more on his plate under the direction of new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and first-year safeties coach Perry Eliano than he did last season, when he was already viewed as the quarterback of the defense.

“It jacks me up a lot,” Proctor said. “Knowing it’s really a safety-driving defense and you’re reading all these different keys, you’re always in the play. You’re never just going to be back there bored and just sitting there looking.”

Proctor acknowledges he has a lot to learn before the start of the season, as the injury has limited him to non-contact drills and lots of film study during spring practice. He’s doing everything he can not to fall behind, though.

“It’s definitely a challenge,” Proctor said. “You never really know how it feels until you get out here on the field and everything is coming at you 100 percent.”

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