HERSHEY, Pa — Mike Yancich didn't set out to draw comparisons, but in certain respects they were inevitable.
With a strong start to Big 33 week, and the motivation and personality of a leader, the first day of practice was not even over when coaches and staff members began comparing Yancich with former Big 33 stars Paul Posluszny and Sean Lee. Like Posluszny and Lee, Yancich is headed to Penn State.
"He's cut from the same mold, on and off the field," noted John Weaver, a Big 33 staff member and liaison to the Pennsylvania team. "He'll be another great one."
Fate sometimes plays a hand in games such as this one, and fate reared its head during practice on Monday afternoon when Yancich suffered a hyperextension of his left elbow during a collision on the practice field. Concerned staff held Yancich out of practice for the rest of the day Monday, then sent him for X-rays on Tuesday morning.
"It's just a bruise," Yancich told FOS after returning from the hospital.
Later, an MRI revealed the extent of the injury is more severe. Yancich suffered an avulsion fracture above the elbow that will require several weeks of recovery. This means Yancich will miss the Big 33 Classic, and it is likely that a replacement will be brought in.
Yancich spoke with FOS yesterday prior to the MRI. Listen to what he had to say in the audio below:
Listen to Audio
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