Mann ready for action
He materialized Tuesday wearing a hunting jacket and ballcap, looking almost as if nothing had happened.
“Almost” because Kurt Mann is visibly lighter than he was in August before mononucleosis hospitalized him for five days and reduced his weight by some 25 pounds.
Mann, a center from Grand Island, missed Nebraska’s past five games after starting the season opener. Although he returned to practice last week, he spoke with media Tuesday for the first time since coming down with the illness.
“I feel fine,” he said. “The only difference between me now and before I got sick is the weight loss. I’m working on getting that back.”
The 6-foot-4 Mann started 24 straight games, including this season’s Sept. 2 opener against Louisiana Tech, before being replaced in the lineup by junior Brett Byford. Mann began the season weighing 285 pounds, he said, but dipped as low as 260 as the mono attacked his liver.
“My liver enzymes got out of whack, and that’s what ended up making me so sick,” he said. “Nothing was in balance there. It took probably two weeks to get back to normal.”
What's more, he said, his spleen became enlarged, and there was concern about it being ruptured if he returned to the field too quickly.
A second-team All-Big 12 choice in 2005, Mann said he now weighs about 275 as 21st-ranked Nebraska prepares for Saturday night’s game against Big 12 rival Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan.
“Realistically, I probably won’t get all of the weight back,” he said. “If I can get close, that’ll probably be good enough.”
Mann said he felt ready to play in last week’s game at Iowa State. He said he practiced well all week. The previous week, he said, he didn’t practice but worked hard on conditioning.
Mann said he began to feel ill the night of Sept. 2. Earlier that day, Nebraska defeated Louisiana Tech 49-10 to begin the season.
“I started feeling like I had the flu,” he said. “I was sore, but I just thought it was from the game. (But) it never went away.”
At least not until the last couple of weeks.
Mann acknowledged Tuesday the seriousness of what he faced. However, during the illness' early stages he thought he might be able to keep playing because of the support he was receiving from team physicians.
“It just seemed as every day went by, things got worse, and then I ended up getting put in the hospital, and that’s definitely something I don’t want to do again,” he said.
Mann said it was difficult watching Nebraska’s games on television.
“My teammates are out there, and I feel like I’m letting them down if I’m not out there with them,” he said. “It’s very hard, after playing a lot for a couple of years, to watch them go through it by themselves. It’s hard to know they’re sweating and doing the best they can, but that you can’t help them.”
The illness put football in perspective, he said.
“I’ve always known football is something that’s not going to last forever,” he said. “But it made me realize that (football is) something I needed to take advantage of and enjoy the time I have. It was great to see all of the people praying for me, and I’m very grateful. I truly believe that helped me get out of the hospital.”
Mann praised Byford’s performance in his absence.
“He’s doing a great job, and I think every game he’s going to get better and better,” Mann said. “I don’t want to say anything against (Byford), but hopefully I start getting some more reps (in practice), too.”
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
“Almost” because Kurt Mann is visibly lighter than he was in August before mononucleosis hospitalized him for five days and reduced his weight by some 25 pounds.
Mann, a center from Grand Island, missed Nebraska’s past five games after starting the season opener. Although he returned to practice last week, he spoke with media Tuesday for the first time since coming down with the illness.
“I feel fine,” he said. “The only difference between me now and before I got sick is the weight loss. I’m working on getting that back.”
The 6-foot-4 Mann started 24 straight games, including this season’s Sept. 2 opener against Louisiana Tech, before being replaced in the lineup by junior Brett Byford. Mann began the season weighing 285 pounds, he said, but dipped as low as 260 as the mono attacked his liver.
“My liver enzymes got out of whack, and that’s what ended up making me so sick,” he said. “Nothing was in balance there. It took probably two weeks to get back to normal.”
What's more, he said, his spleen became enlarged, and there was concern about it being ruptured if he returned to the field too quickly.
A second-team All-Big 12 choice in 2005, Mann said he now weighs about 275 as 21st-ranked Nebraska prepares for Saturday night’s game against Big 12 rival Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan.
“Realistically, I probably won’t get all of the weight back,” he said. “If I can get close, that’ll probably be good enough.”
Mann said he felt ready to play in last week’s game at Iowa State. He said he practiced well all week. The previous week, he said, he didn’t practice but worked hard on conditioning.
Mann said he began to feel ill the night of Sept. 2. Earlier that day, Nebraska defeated Louisiana Tech 49-10 to begin the season.
“I started feeling like I had the flu,” he said. “I was sore, but I just thought it was from the game. (But) it never went away.”
At least not until the last couple of weeks.
Mann acknowledged Tuesday the seriousness of what he faced. However, during the illness' early stages he thought he might be able to keep playing because of the support he was receiving from team physicians.
“It just seemed as every day went by, things got worse, and then I ended up getting put in the hospital, and that’s definitely something I don’t want to do again,” he said.
Mann said it was difficult watching Nebraska’s games on television.
“My teammates are out there, and I feel like I’m letting them down if I’m not out there with them,” he said. “It’s very hard, after playing a lot for a couple of years, to watch them go through it by themselves. It’s hard to know they’re sweating and doing the best they can, but that you can’t help them.”
The illness put football in perspective, he said.
“I’ve always known football is something that’s not going to last forever,” he said. “But it made me realize that (football is) something I needed to take advantage of and enjoy the time I have. It was great to see all of the people praying for me, and I’m very grateful. I truly believe that helped me get out of the hospital.”
Mann praised Byford’s performance in his absence.
“He’s doing a great job, and I think every game he’s going to get better and better,” Mann said. “I don’t want to say anything against (Byford), but hopefully I start getting some more reps (in practice), too.”
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
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