KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 22 (UPI) -- University of Tennessee defensive end Constantin Ritzmann, a rising senior and projected starter this fall, has been diagnosed with a torn ACL in his left knee.
The injury to the Berlin, Germany, native will cause him to miss the 2002 season.
"Of course, I'm disappointed," Ritzmann said. "I figured it would have been a great year. I'm just going to take a redshirt, work as hard as I can, and come back next year. It felt funny when it happened. It didn't hurt, it still doesn't hurt. I wasn't sure if it was going to be an all-year thing, just two or three games. I'm disappointed, a little frustrated, but I've got to move on."
Ritzmann tied for third on the team in sacks last season with four and had four additional tackles for loss. The 6-4, 260-pounder started three games in place of All-SEC defensive end Will Overstreet during the middle of the campaign, and that experience was something the Volunteers were counting on heading into 2002.
"When you lose a good player, then somebody else has to step up," said Coach Phillip Fulmer. "I would expect somebody and our team as a whole will step up to replace a quality player like Constantin. It's unfortunate, but it's part of football. It's a physical game but, in his particular case, there was hardly any contact. It just looked like he stepped wrong and went down."
Team trainer Keith Clements said Ritzmann would undergo surgery sometime in the next few weeks.
"Maybe for him it's a blessing in disguise," Fulmer said. "He has a year to get bigger and stronger, and with the great rehab and the miracles of surgery today he should be back even better than he was."
Fulmer said the Vols have begun preparing for their season opener against Wyoming. That contest will be played in Nashville on Aug. 31.
