Injuries limited Justin Strong to only six games last season after he was second on the team in rushing and scored five touchdowns in 2021. (Photo courtesy SIUSalukis.com)
By Barry Bottino
Ask Justin Strong about his recovery from a recent injury and he likely will respond with, which one?
Last fall, Strong was limited to just six games – and one start – by injuries to his right shoulder and left thumb.
He endured a long rehab for a torn labrum in the shoulder and started with a cast for his thumb injury – a torn ligament between his index finger and thumb.
“It started real slow,” he said of the rehab process. “I just had to stay close to my faith and keep pushing through. That’s what it took.”
“I’m finally back at 100%,” he said.
Having the versatile Strong back this fall is a welcome sign for the Salukis.
He was the team’s third-leading receiver during the spring 2020 COVID season with 30 receptions for 274 yards and three touchdowns.
As a sophomore in 2021, his 484 rushing yards was second on the team, and he led SIU with 5.8 yards per carry while scoring five TDs (two rushing, three receiving).
Strong’s junior season was another story. He rushed for 3.6 yards a carry and had 10 receptions while missing the final five games of the season.
While Strong was banged up, the SIU running game sputtered to 122.2 yards per game. That’s the lowest team total for the Salukis since the 1997 season (121.7).
Since 1966, Southern has only had four seasons lower than the 2022 rushing output.
While the thumb injury required plenty of grip strength exercises, the shoulder was a bigger challenge.
“I didn’t realize how much strength I was going to lose,” Strong said. “It took a lot of time (with SIU’s training staff) to get my strength back. They did their work on me. I just had to show up and do the work.”
Strong said he isn’t just back to his old self, though.
“I’m in better shape than I’ve been in my life,” he said. “I can run faster, I’m stronger, I can jump higher. I don’t want to say I’m back to where I was, because I’m better.”
The SIU ground game won’t be a one-man show this fall.
Last season’s leading rusher, Ro Elliott, is back for his fifth season. He caught a career-best 22 passes a year ago.
The Salukis also brought in Eastern Illinois transfer Jaelin Benefield, who scored 11 touchdowns in four seasons in Charleston as a rusher and receiver.
“My confidence is really high,” Strong said of the group.
One of the biggest off-season additions was running backs coach Larry Warner, who was an All-American tailback for the Salukis in 2008.
“He’s a great coach,” Strong said. “He’s taught us the ins and outs of things. I feel like I understand things more and the whole group understands the run game better.”
Strong said Warner stresses patience for backs while reading a play, then exploding. And, their new coach brings one other important aspect.
“He’s non-stop energetic all day, and we love it,” Strong said. “And when he brings the energy, we’re always going to bring the energy.”
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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