After playing in the first six games last year, defensive lineman David Marshall missed the rest of the 2018 season with a foot injury. The senior from Thomaston, GA spoke with the media after practice on Friday and talked about his “Lisfranc injury” and his journey to get back on the field for 2019.

Can you explain what a Lisfranc injury is?

”Lisfranc is a little bone in the middle of your foot that keeps it from bending.  That’s about all I know,” said David Marshall.  “Before that (injury), I never knew what a Lisfranc injury was.”

When you suffered this injury, did you know it would take so long to recover?

“It feels pretty good to be back with my brothers on the field, working hard.  It’s just a blessing to be back.  I knew it was going to be a long rehab, but you’ve just got to stay positive,” said Marshall.  “So in my mind, I had to come here and get treatment every day and don’t skip a treatment.  I’m just glad to be back on the field, working hard with my brothers.”

What are your expectations for the upcoming season?

”I’m working on that right now, trying to see and practice on my foot, seeing if it’ll take all of that,” said Marshall.  “So I’m just going to keep grinding and see what happens.”

University of Georgia Director of Sports Medicine, Ron Courson, has been working with David Marshall as he does with each student-athlete that suffers an injury. Marshall elaborated on how Courson has helped him get back to where he was.

”Me and Mr. Ron have been together since Spring Break.  I’ve been working with him,” said David Marshall. “And he’s been working with me.  We’ve been grinding on my foot. It took a long time to get back walking, to get back where I was.”  

Were you ever worried about walking normally again?

“Nah. I’ve had plenty of surgeries, so you’ve just got to have a mindset to come back and be ready,” said Marshall 

Marshall went on to explain when he had the surgery to repair his injury and the rehab he underwent afterward.

“I did a lot of work on the treadmill in the pool and they worked on my ankle mostly,” said Marshall. “I had my surgery last September, after the Vandy game.”

Ironically, as Georgia prepares for its season opener versus Vanderbilt, Marshall said the injury happened during last year’s game versus the Commodores.

“(During the Vandy game) I got on the sideline and sat for a minute.  It got stiff on me and I couldn’t walk on it, so I knew there was something wrong,” said Marshall.  “I can take pain. I can take any injury.  But when I couldn’t walk, I knew there was something wrong with it.”

No. 51 and the rest of the Georgia defense and team sound like they are ready to get the season started. And the fans are ready to see Marshall back on the field harassing opposing quarterbacks and ball carries. You can listen to his full post-practice interview from Friday by clicking on the video below.