Inextricably linked: Bourbon, Cox bound through injury, rehab

By Tom Keegan     May 24, 2015

Senior running backs Brandon Bourbon, left, and Taylor Cox.

James Sims exhausted his eligibility and cleared the path for seniors Brandon Bourbon and Taylor Cox to compete for the starting tailback job as seniors.

The competition ended for both of them when they suffered season-ending injuries on back-to-back days in mid-August. Bourbon went down with a torn ACL, Cox a torn Achilles tendon.

Nobody could have begrudged either fast, powerful running back had he chosen to end his football career, heal his body and move on to a safer occupation.

Neither chose to do so. Both men will play college football for a sixth season, Cox at Kansas, Bourbon at Div. II Washburn University. Cox spent two years in junior college and enters his fourth year at Kansas, after missing all but one game of the past two seasons to injury.

Bourbon red-shirted his freshman season and again last season. Because his freshman red shirt was not of the medical variety, he was not granted a sixth year of eligibility to play Div. I football. Div. II does not have a similar restriction.

Mike Yoder
Kansas running back Brandon Bourbon runs through drills during a KU football practice Saturday, April 5, 2014, at Memorial Stadium.

Bourbon and Cox are linked not solely because they were injured on back-to-back days.

“Throughout our rehab process we were basically like brothers,” Cox said. “We spent every day together, and I was really sad to hear he couldn’t come back and join our team this year. Like I said, we were like brothers.”

Bourbon, a graduate of Kansas who spent this past semester as a graduate-assistant strength coach at Washburn, said they talk on the phone weekly.

“I would consider Taylor a brother to me,” Bourbon said. “Man, the stuff he’s gone through and the stuff I’ve gone through, we went through a lot of adversity together. Taylor’s going to have an amazing year. I’m excited to see it.”

During his time at KU, Bourbon suffered a broken leg and an ankle injury well in advance of popping the ACL in a scrimmage last August.

Richard Gwin
KU White team quarterback Michael Cummings hands off to running back Taylor Cox for some short yards during KU's spring football game on Saturday, April 13, 2013, during the KU football spring game. The Blue team defeated the White team, 34-7.

“It makes you tougher than you can imagine,” he said of the two having to do so much rehab. “I would say there aren’t two hungrier college football players than Taylor Cox and me.”

Recovering from different painful injuries, the two backs pushed each other daily.

“We were together all day during that fall,” Bourbon said. “Every practice we were working out together. We worked rehab together, went to all the meetings together and were together pretty much the entire day. I couldn’t have picked a better guy to go through that with.”

Bourbon and Cox had more than injuries in common. They were similarly productive when healthy. Cox has rushed 97 times for 508 yards and three touchdowns at KU, an average of 5.2 yards per carry. Bourbon carried the ball 81 times for 422 yards and four touchdowns for KU, also gaining an average of 5.2 yards per carry.

Washburn coach Craig Schurig said he plans to use Bourbon as a tailback in a pro-style offense similar to that employed by former Kansas coach Charlie Weis. In 2013, Bourbon also played some at receiver, catching 20 passes.

Schurig cited Bourbon’s speed, size, proven ability as a blocker and a back catching balls out of the backfield as reasons he believes the NFL will monitor his progress. He praised his attitude as well.

“Sometimes when you see a guy come down (from Div. I), he might be a little distant,” Schurig said. “That’s not the case at all with Brandon. He’s excited to be here, and the guys are really excited to have him.”

Every day on Bourbon’s calendar is marked with the number of days remaining until he can resume his football career in a game, Thursday, Sept. 3 in St. Charles, Missouri, 7 p.m. kickoff against Lindenwood University, 80 miles from his hometown of Potosi, Mo.

Two days, a popped hamstring and a torn Achilles later, Cox will be in uniform for Kansas in its opener vs. South Dakota State in Memorial Stadium. Cox made his KU debut against the same school in 2012 and rushed for 121 yards, 39 on one run, and a touchdown in a 31-17 victory.

Recovering from an injury as painful as an Achilles requires physical and mental adjustments.

“I think if he’s healthy he’ll be able to make a major contribution,” running-backs coach Reggie Mitchell said. “For him, he can see it, but he can’t get there yet. Hopefully through the summer and fall camp he’ll get the confidence in himself that he had before and be able to come out and make a major contribution.”

Cox said during spring football that the Achilles did not give him trouble, but that he didn’t feel his legs were quite back to 100 percent strength after the inactivity caused by the injury.

“I do have one, but I’d rather kind of view my whole career here at Kansas as kind of a perseverance story,” Cox said when asked if he had a KU highlight so far. “I’ve had multiple injuries. I’ve been through multiple coaching staffs. I think it’s just a story of perseverance.”

His body might have been telling him to walk away, but his heart prevailed.

“With all the love I have for this game, there never was a question of whether I wanted to be done if I had the opportunity to keep on playing,” Cox said. “I think staying optimistic and having faith in myself to keep on moving forward is what has kept me going.”

Bourbon has helped Cox to keep on going as well, and Cox has returned the favor. They express belief in themselves and in each other, convinced the best season of their careers is a few months away.

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