Fall Camp

Godecke returns to the field for first time in 2015

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Kyle Godecke had about enough of pushing himself around on a scooter and spending fall camp practices riding a stationary bike.

On Friday, the Montana State senior offensive guard returned to the practice field for the first time in 2015. Godecke, a 6-foot-6, 325-pound mountain of a man from Dillon, broke his foot during fall camp last season. He had surgery and returned in November only to undergo more surgery in April.

Eekhoff & Godecke

Eekhoff & Godecke

“It felt good to be back out here,” Godecke said following Friday morning’s short session. “I’m out of shape but that’s part of it.

“They wanted to give me some team reps because we had a shorter practice today. The 1s took about 20 reps today. They didn’t want to throw me back in on a full scrimmage day or a full practice where I take 60 or 70 reps. I wanted to come back slowly and make sure it’s feeling good.”

Godecke broke into Montana State’s starting lineup as a redshirt freshman in 2012. He started the last nine games of the season for the 11-2 Big Sky Conference champion Bobcats. In 2013, he started all 12 games. But last year, he suffered a fifth metatarsal fracture in his right foot, an injury commonly known as a Jones fracture. He missed MSU’s first eight games. He returned for the final month of last season and played in MSU’s heavy set.

But in April, the foot was still bothering him. He had more surgery. Since then, he’s eased back into health. He had to endure 12 non-weight bearing weeks, a time when he employed a scooter almost exclusively for his transportation. After he could walk, he traded his scooter in for a stationary bike that he would ride every practice after warmups.

“I had the scooter, which was a dream,” Godecke said with a laugh. “I could boot scoot all around on that bad boy. The mental aspect of not being able to walk around was killer though. It’s 100 percent healed at this point.”

Jones fractures are cumbersome because of the slow healing and notorious non-union of the broken bones. Godecke’s second surgery eliminated that sort of worry.

“I don’t worry about it anymore,” Godecke said. “The first surgery I had didn’t take as well as I wanted so we ended up having that second surgery in April. I went to a specialist to get it done a second time. He wouldn’t let me do anything on it until it was fully healed. I’m good now.”

Alex Eekhoff

Alex Eekhoff

Godecke could’ve practiced throughout fall camp but Montana State head coach Rob Ash knows what the 22-game starter can do. He and new offensive line coach Jason Eck wanted to make sure Godecke is healthy when August turns into September. It’s the same thing for senior right tackle Alex Eekhoff, a 6-foot-7, 305-pounder who started all 13 games last season. Eekhoff had off-season shoulder surgery and has not engaged in a live session yet this fall.

“We are bringing Godecke along slowly on purpose,” Ash said. “He’s actually 100 percent healthy, it’s just precautionary with him. Alex, his shoulder is a little more dicey so we are being careful. The target all along will be to get them ready to go for Saturday and see if they can get some reps on Saturday.”

On Saturday, Montana State will hold its final scrimmage of an abbreviated fall camp. MSU opens its season on Sept. 3 at home against Division II Fort Lewis. The Bobcats wrap camp early because MSU starts school on Monday.

Godecke will get his first live action in the scrimmage. In his place, sophomores Dylan Mahoney and Caleb Gillis have gotten valuable reps and should serve as key backups once Eekhoff returns to the lineup as well

“Coach Eck did a good job of keeping me around, keeping me in the loop, keeping me in meetings, keeping me engaged,” Godecke said. “I felt a little slow out there. Some of the things I haven’t seen in awhile. But I’ll be able to come back quickly.”

About Colter Nuanez

Colter Nuanez is the co-founder and senior writer for Skyline Sports. After spending six years in the newspaper industry with stops at the Missoulian, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the former Washington Newspaper Association Sportswriter of the Year and University of Montana Journalism School graduate ('09) has cultivated a deep passion for sports journalism during his 13-year career covering the Big Sky Conference. In August of 2014, Colter and brother Brooks merged their passions of writing and art to found Skyline Sports.

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