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Greg Laffere??s football career was in jeopardy. After going through knee surgeries in April and August, the University of Miami offensive lineman??s dream of having a shot at a career in the NFL was not looking good.

But Laffere, a 1995 graduate of Basehor-Linwood High School, went through hours of rigorous rehabilitation and is back in the Hurricane??s starting lineup, helping Miami to a 5-1 record and a top five spot in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls.

Laffere, a senior, had torn cartilage in his right knee. He participated in spring drills, but had the knee scoped and cleaned out in April.

??I tried to rehab all summer, but it wasn??t really cooperating with me and it wasn??t getting all that much better,?? Laffere said.

He started two-a-day practices in August, but the knee began to swell up on the 6-5, 305 pound left guard.

??The doctors decided to go back in because they figured I wouldn??t make too many games if I left it the way it was,?? said Laffere. ??So they went in and did basically the same surgery and cleaned it up again.??

For Laffere, the thought of red-shirting wasn??t on his mind as he had used that option in 1998 after he transferred from Butler County Community College, and he really wasn??t interested in getting a medical redshirt for a sixth year.

Laffere missed the Hurricane??s first game against McNeese State, but made the trip to Washington, playing eight snaps against the Huskies, Miami??s only loss to date.

??The doctors were still worried my knee wasn??t 100 percent yet,?? said Laffere.

Following an open weekend, Laffere started in the Hurricanes?? next game, against West Virginia, playing about one-half of the offensive downs. He also started against Rutgers, but played only the first two series of the game, mainly because the Hurricanes won, 64-6.

A week later, Laffere started, and for the first time this season played the entire game, helping Miami to a 27-24 win over Florida State.

??The year has gone real well. Every game has been positive except for the Washington game. That??s been a major down-point to the season so far,?? Laffere said.

??Personally, it??s been a frustrating year. Being hurt is never easy. With this being my last year, I was hoping to be in there and play every down and play as much as I could. It was hard to be on the sidelines. But my knee is getting better and I??m getting healthy.??

Laffere added that the Florida State game was ??probably the best game I??ve played since I??ve been here.?? He said that when the coaching staff graded out the game in the areas of performance, technique and effort, he was given high marks in each category.

Despite the injury, Laffere should have plenty of time to work on his dream of making a NFL roster. He will graduate in December with a degree in liberal arts and depending on how things work out, plans to stay in Miami after the season.

??Hopefully, I??ll get invited to an all-star game or two and go to a few combines and get some scouts to look at me,?? said Laffere.

??Being a college athlete, it??s hard enough to worry about it. But it seems the better your team does, the better your chances are of getting drafted. As long as I keep playing hard, I??ll hopefully get an opportunity. That??s all I can ask for.??

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