UVA FOOTBALL: Peerman makes comeback

Clint Sintim, the ever-playful, hard-hitting Virginia linebacker, tried his best to distract a pair of teammates as they conducted post-practice interviews Sunday.
Jon Copper was and will be a sack machine Sintim yelled before unsuccessfully hiding behind a fence.
With extra energy after missing his second straight open practice for undisclosed reasons, Sintim also offered a bold prediction for the 2008 football season.
“Cedric Peerman for Heisman!” he yelled. “Doak Walker Award — unanimous decision. No. 37.”
While an enormous long shot to be named the nation’s top player — or even top running back — Peerman is back in business for the Cavaliers.
Lost midway through the 2007 season, the senior may need to be if the program can return to the postseason. The Cavaliers will have a new-look offense missing three offensive linemen, two starting tight ends and most likely quarterback Jameel Sewell, barring an overturned two-semester academic suspension.
For now, Peerman’s road back from the disabled list is a day-by-day, down-by-down process.
“I am feeling pretty good,” he said after Sunday’s soggy practice in Seattle-like conditions. “Some days are good. Some days are bad. I am just trying to keep pushing and not do too much right now and just get better each and every day.”
Peerman, after rushing for 566 yards in the Cavaliers’ first five games, hobbled off the field with an injured foot at Middle Tennessee State after five carries netted 19 more yards.
“It was a partial tear in the Lisfranc ligament and a dislocation of the first metatarsal … just a slight dislocation,” Peerman explained. “It wasn’t very big at all.”
Amazingly, Peerman appears to be running near full speed just five months — and one surgery — later.
“After we had the MRI on the foot and saw there was a slight dislocation, we were pretty much sure that it was going to have to take surgery to get that back in its proper place,” Peerman said.
He has had some help on the comeback trail. There were phone calls to NFL players who suffered a similar injury, which were organized by his cousin, Donald Jones.
“A made a couple a couple of calls around to some guys down south and got a good take on it,” Peerman said. “My cousin, who played in the NFL, knows a few people still in the NFL so I talked to him.
“Also, our trainers did a wonderful job calling around and seeing about the injury and everything. In Charlottesville, you have one of the best hospitals in the country, so you can’t go wrong there, and I had a great doctor who worked on me.”
Peerman also has a protective device he places in his shoe that would likely fail inspection at an airport.
“I don’t think I could make it through a metal detector anymore,” he joked. “It is sort of like a wire. It clips on the ends [of my cleat] and it is pretty tight.
“The doctor said it can come out if it wants to, but it is going to be more stable if I keep everything in. I am just going to see how it feels. It feels pretty good right now.”
Peerman has regained his upper-body strength, too. Virginia cornerback Vic Hall can attest.
On one play during Sunday’s practice, Peerman used his right hand to push Hall and his facemask away from a would-be tackle.
“You can’t stop that man,” said Virginia quarterback Scott Deke. “He is the hardest worker I know, one of the greatest guys I know and I wish him all the best.
“He deserves it and I know he has put the work in. Come this season, I know he is going to do a great job just like we need.”
There has been one noticeable change in Peerman’s demeanor, Copper said.
“I think he laughs a little more. I mess with him a little more in practice.”
Peerman credits the injury for that development, too.
“It was pretty frustrating — I am not going to lie,” Peerman said of watching the final seven games. “I love football and I love coming out here and playing, just being able to be out here with teammates especially hurt pretty bad just because I wasn’t going to be able to do that anymore.
“But at the same time, I really thank God. I needed this whole process to humble me and really set my passion.”