South Carolina spring practice report: Rory Anderson suffers torn tricep

In an otherwise good weekend for the South Carolina offense, the injury bug bit starting tight end Rory "Busta" Anderson, who tore his tricep while stiff-arming a tackler. Anderson was running for a long gain after a catch during Saturday's scrimmage.

If you're wondering how long the recovery time is on a triceps tear, you're not alone. It's an uncommon injury, even in football. Ray Lewis, who tore his triceps in 2012, is the most prominent athlete to undergo the injury recently.

Unfortunately, the recovery period can be significant if the muscle has been torn completely. Partial tears may be rehabbed without surgery, but complete tears require surgical reattachment and a long therapy period. The initial rehab period after repair may take four to six months, at which point the patient can begin strengthening exercises. Full range of may motion may take a year to achieve.

This means that Gamecocks fans need to keep their fingers crossed that Anderson's injury is a minor tear. If it's not, it could very well cause him to miss at least part of the 2014 season. That would be a shame for a player who's hoping for a strong senior year that will help him cement his position with NFL scouts.

A serious tear would also be a blow for the Gamecocks. Carolina has a wealth of depth at the tight end position, as evidenced by the fact that three other tight ends had big days catching the football during the scrimmage. However, Anderson is the best of the group, having proven himself since his freshman year to be reliable when a big catch is needed and having also improved tremendously in blocking during his time in the program.

Steve Spurrier seemed cautiously optimistic about Anderson's chances of recovery: "I think Busta Anderson may have torn his tricep. He’s done for the spring. They are going to check and see if it’s torn. If it’s torn off (the bone) then they have to go in there and repair it. Hopefully, he’ll be ready to go by next year." Hopefully, indeed.