Oct. 06--No. 13 Northwestern won't need much extra motivation for its game Saturday at No. 18 Michigan.
But Wildcats players seem particularly energized by the return from multiple injuries and illnesses of senior left guard Matt Frazier, who has "been through a lot" over the last 10 months and lived to tell about it.
Frazier addressed his teammates Saturday before they trounced Minnesota 27-0 at Ryan Field to improve to 5-0.
"It was an emotional week," Frazier said Monday, "getting out there on the field again, being able to play with all of my teammates, all of my brothers.
"But I can't be emotional this week. All of the rust is shaken off. I didn't play that well last week. I am looking to improve this week because (Michigan) is a good D-line. We have to have all of our guys playing on all cylinders."
Frazier's medical odyssey tested every fiber of his physical and emotional strength.
"Last January I had surgery on my right ankle," Frazier began detailing. "Then about a month later, I had surgery on my left ankle. Three days after that surgery, I had to have emergency surgery on my spine.
"So as I started recovering from that and getting incorporated into workouts a little bit, I tore my left (pectoral) muscle. Then a week or two after that I was hospitalized. I had an infection in my pelvis and it went septic into my bloodstream. I was hospitalized for 10 days and I spent three or four days in (intensive care)."
Frazier, a 6-4, 295-pounder from Bishop McNamara, was welcomed back excitedly by his teammates.
"The O-line has taken big strides, and a lot of that is Frazier's leadership coming back," senior superback Dan Vitale said. "Kind of took that for granted, not having him in there. It's great to have him back."
Coach Pat Fitzgerald and athletic director Jim Phillips visited Frazier during his most difficult days in the hospital.
"My third day in the hospital ... I was in ICU and things weren't looking that great," Frazier said. "I kind of got in my own head a little bit. One of my lowest days was when Coach Fitz came to visit and Dr. Phillips came to visit me. When (Fitzgerald) left, I kind of started thinking: 'I hope I get the opportunity to play for this man again ... play for this university.'
"Then when all of my teammates started visiting me again, I started thinking about that as well. I was thinking: 'I hope to get to play with these guys again.' So I wasn't really sure, but here I am."
fmitchell@tribpub.com
