Louis Bland To Have Another Knee Surgery, Miss 2011 Season

Washington State linebacker Louis Bland will go back under the knife again to have surgery on an injured knee that just doesn't seem to be getting better, according to Cougfan. Bland was all set to compete at linebacker this spring, but his surgically repaired knee wasn't responding, forcing him to give it another go and have another surgery to repair the damage. Since opening eyes in 2008, Bland has struggled with injury, and the latest news doesn't bode well for his career.

While it's true Bland can petition the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility and, perhaps, play in 2012, I'm left wondering if it's even worth it. By the time Bland does get back on the field, he'll have missed two and a half seasons of play and countless practices in-between. Add in multiple surgeries and the rehab that goes along with them, and one has to wonder how his knees will hold up, both on the field and throughout his life after football.

For whatever reason, Bland's injury simply won't heal. And by the time it does, it's probably too late for him to get back into shape and have a meaningful impact. I'd love to see him try and succeed, but temper your expectations here. He has a long road ahead and is facing another tough recovery.

At linebacker, the Cougs should be fine, though Bland's presence would've been nice to have, both for his contributions on the field and leadership in the huddle. With C.J. Mizell doing whatever C.J. Mizell does, having Bland around to push him and maybe force him to get his head on straight would've been nice. Instead, the choices at middle linebacker seem to be Mizell or Mike Ledgerwood, with any number of players also able to shuffle around and fill-in as needed. Mizell is still symbolically buried on the depth chart for a variety of reasons, so the position is one to watch in fall camp.

Best of luck to Bland after another devastating setback.