Well, I shouldn’t say that they NEED to prove me wrong because if Aaron Opelt’s still hurt come gameday, I don’t want to see him aggravate his throwing shoulder.

But here’s the deal.  We’d be straight-up ignorant if we took Toledo head coach Tim Beckman at his word that his starting quarterback is “probable” for this Saturday’s game against Northern Illinois.  Is it just a bruise like they say?  Maybe.  I do believe the part where they say that nothing’s broken and that nothing’s torn.

College coaches don’t need to give out the real injury information to the public, so they don’t.  Remember a few years ago when Toledo was preparing for a nationally-televised game at Fresno State?  Tom Amstutz did NOT want Fresno to realize that Bruce Gradkowski was hurt as badly as he was.  Amstutz didn’t want to give Fresno the chance to prepare for Clint Cochran.  Of course, he told the media that it was a day-by-day thing, that pretty much things were fine, and it sounded like things were normal in Rocket land.  Of course, that was NOT the case.

Amstutz isn’t alone.  Trust me on this.  I’ve never met a college coach that was forthcoming about his team’s injuries unless it’s clear the player tore an ACL or MCL and will be out for an extended period of time, if not for the entire season.

It’s totally strategic.  Why let the opposition fully understand what’s going on in-house if there’s no real need to allow that to happen?

What I know is this: I woke up to a phone call the day after Opelt had his MRI and had my sources tell me that it really didn’t look good for Opelt to play this week.  The same source told me that the senior from Fremont Ross isn’t done for the year, but at least for this week, let’s just say his chances of playing are not “probable.”  Sounded more like doubtful to me.

Of course, I believe the part where Opelt said he was going to work his tail off.  Who knows?  He could definitely work himself into playing shape.  A diagnosis can change day by day.

I’m totally pulling for Opelt to make it back on the field because, as good as Austin Dantin looked in the second half, he isn’t Opelt on several levels, be it experience, arm strength, comfort level with the playbook/receivers, etc.

So if Opelt comes back, I WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

I just don’t believe that on Monday, Opelt could be called “probable.”

I think it’s more “probable” that he won’t play.

In other words, I’m not drinking the Kool-Aid they’re feeding me.