I've been relatively quiet on the board. Both because I'm new and as the uncle to Makhi Nelson-Douglas I didn't want to ever be saying anything I shouldn't be. Better be safe, than sorry..

2021 was awesome for fans and especially Makhi and our family. We were excited when he got to travel for the first game at GA Tech. We would have never guessed he'd earn a starting position as a true freshman. He later lost it, but the future was still bright for Makhi and the program.

Anyway, I feel the need to clear up why Makhi is off the team. Makhi missed last season because he was recovering from later jet surgery on his shoulder. It was his second surgery on that shoulder and third shoulder surgery overall. He was cleared to play sometime in October and was practicing but then had a set back. He still needs the same procedure on his other shoulder. All this lead to Makhi doing a medical retirement.

Here is what a later jet procedure is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYrlkCfjb4s


Makhi was a stud QB through his freshman year of high school. Then he broke his leg before his sophomore year and missed almost the whole seasons. He got passed up at QB and moved to primarily play defense. He still played some RB his last 2 years in HS and this biased uncle think she should have started.

Jr season. mostly D plays, but 2:40min mark showed what he could do on offense.

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9544063/5db...0f180fed7c

Sr season ( sat our first 2 games for covid exposure)

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9544063/5f8...083cbe1f75

History of bad luck -

High school
Fr - epic season as QB. In line to maybe start varsity as soph.
Soph - broke leg right before the season
Jr - very good season
- shoulder surgery after season
Sr - sat our first 2 games for covid exposure
- missed other games from shoulder injuries
- shoulder surgery after end of season

NIU
Fr - can't keep weight on = lost some playing time like in conf champ game
- throwing up sick in locker room during bowl game

Soph - shoulder surgery in July(later jet)
- reaggravates shoulder in October, right after getting cleared to play
- needs later jet on other shoulder - retires.



I can't help from being selfishly bummed about him retiring. Especially knowing he probably would have started vs Nebraska this year. (we are from Nebraska). Getting to see him getting decent playing time at Michigan was really cool..and at Notre Dame in 2 years would have been a great experience too. I went to 4 games his freshman year and had a blast. I might go back for the Nebraska game(I now live in AZ) just to see the familiar NIU players in person one last time.

Our family will still be Huskie fans and hope to see them back in a bowl. It should be a great season to be a Huskie!

PS - sorry for the rambling. :)

Thank you so much for sharing and I wish you and Makhi the best.

(03-16-2023 11:15 PM)cornboy Wrote:  I've been relatively quiet on the board. Both because I'm new and as the uncle to Makhi Nelson-Douglas I didn't want to ever be saying anything I shouldn't be. Better be safe, than sorry..

2021 was awesome for fans and especially Makhi and our family. We were excited when he got to travel for the first game at GA Tech. We would have never guessed he'd earn a starting position as a true freshman. He later lost it, but the future was still bright for Makhi and the program.

Anyway, I feel the need to clear up why Makhi is off the team. Makhi missed last season because he was recovering from later jet surgery on his shoulder. It was his second surgery on that shoulder and third shoulder surgery overall. He was cleared to play sometime in October and was practicing but then had a set back. He still needs the same procedure on his other shoulder. All this lead to Makhi doing a medical retirement.

Here is what a later jet procedure is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYrlkCfjb4s


Makhi was a stud QB through his freshman year of high school. Then he broke his leg before his sophomore year and missed almost the whole seasons. He got passed up at QB and moved to primarily play defense. He still played some RB his last 2 years in HS and this biased uncle think she should have started.

Jr season. mostly D plays, but 2:40min mark showed what he could do on offense.

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9544063/5db...0f180fed7c

Sr season ( sat our first 2 games for covid exposure)

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9544063/5f8...083cbe1f75

History of bad luck -

High school
Fr - epic season as QB. In line to maybe start varsity as soph.
Soph - broke leg right before the season
Jr - very good season
- shoulder surgery after season
Sr - sat our first 2 games for covid exposure
- missed other games from shoulder injuries
- shoulder surgery after end of season

NIU
Fr - can't keep weight on = lost some playing time like in conf champ game
- throwing up sick in locker room during bowl game

Soph - shoulder surgery in July(later jet)
- reaggravates shoulder in October, right after getting cleared to play
- needs later jet on other shoulder - retires.



I can't help from being selfishly bummed about him retiring. Especially knowing he probably would have started vs Nebraska this year. (we are from Nebraska). Getting to see him getting decent playing time at Michigan was really cool..and at Notre Dame in 2 years would have been a great experience too. I went to 4 games his freshman year and had a blast. I might go back for the Nebraska game(I now live in AZ) just to see the familiar NIU players in person one last time.

Our family will still be Huskie fans and hope to see them back in a bowl. It should be a great season to be a Huskie!

PS - sorry for the rambling. :)

I am sorry his career was cut so short. But am happy to have spent this time with you and your family as members of the Huskie nation. I wish you all continued success and nothing but the best for Makhi post playing career. He's going to be great at whatever he ends up doing.

I appreciate you sharing the player's side. A lot of times as fans, we are blinded to the human elements of the game.

Thank you for sharing his and your experience with Huskie fans. Sometimes you have to prioritize your health so you can live a full and comfortable life. Good for him on recognizing his limits and make a mature decision.

Thank him for us on everything he gave to the program and glad to hear you all will still be around the program in some fashion and have a rooting interest.

(03-16-2023 11:18 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  Thank you so much for sharing and I wish you and Makhi the best.

(03-16-2023 11:34 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  I am sorry his career was cut so short. But am happy to have spent this time with you and your family as members of the Huskie nation. I wish you all continued success and nothing but the best for Makhi post playing career. He's going to be great at whatever he ends up doing.

I appreciate you sharing the player's side. A lot of times as fans, we are blinded to the human elements of the game.

(03-17-2023 08:04 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  Thank you for sharing his and your experience with Huskie fans. Sometimes you have to prioritize your health so you can live a full and comfortable life. Good for him on recognizing his limits and make a mature decision.

Thank him for us on everything he gave to the program and glad to hear you all will still be around the program in some fashion and have a rooting interest.

Thank you! :)

Thanks for the update and we wish Makhi the best. Sorry to hear of his bad luck.

While its upsetting his career got cut short, he got to taste some of a dream that for most us is something that always will remain a dream. Good luck to him and the future and glad he had the foresight to not keep pushing it and knowing when to hang it up.

Thanks for posting.

I saw him stand out when he played. And I thought the coaching staff really liked him, so the future looked really bright. It was perplexing not seeing him play, since I was not aware f the injury.

Wish him and your family all the best in the future. Thank him for all of us. We appreciate all the hard work, sacrifice, and pain for the opportunity to play and compete.

Go Huskies!

Sorry he had to stop playing due to health concerns. Hopefully he will continue his education here, or somewhere.

(03-20-2023 02:12 PM)calvin12 Wrote:  Sorry he had to stop playing due to health concerns. Hopefully he will continue his education here, or somewhere.

He is continuing his education at NIU. A medical retirement means he keeps his scholarship, but it doesn't count against the number allowed for the team.

Thank you all again for the kind words.

Glad he can keep his education going!

Also great note about how the guys on the team do a lot of sacrificing- even the guys who don’t get all the snaps.

This retirement sounds like the right move - so much more in life after college, living as pain free as possible is a solid plan

(04-07-2023 09:34 AM)BigChilla Wrote:  Glad he can keep his education going!

Also great note about how the guys on the team do a lot of sacrificing- even the guys who don’t get all the snaps.

This retirement sounds like the right move - so much more in life after college, living as pain free as possible is a solid plan

+1

Thanks for posting cornboy, all the best to you and your family.

Go Huskies!

Thanks for posting. Can’t help but feel for him. Nothing is worse in sports than injuries that shorten careers. Always leaves you with “what could have been.” Sounds like he’s a great kid and will be successful wherever he goes. Wish you both the best.

(03-16-2023 11:15 PM)cornboy Wrote:  I've been relatively quiet on the board. Both because I'm new and as the uncle to Makhi Nelson-Douglas I didn't want to ever be saying anything I shouldn't be. Better be safe, than sorry..

2021 was awesome for fans and especially Makhi and our family. We were excited when he got to travel for the first game at GA Tech. We would have never guessed he'd earn a starting position as a true freshman. He later lost it, but the future was still bright for Makhi and the program.

Anyway, I feel the need to clear up why Makhi is off the team. Makhi missed last season because he was recovering from later jet surgery on his shoulder. It was his second surgery on that shoulder and third shoulder surgery overall. He was cleared to play sometime in October and was practicing but then had a set back. He still needs the same procedure on his other shoulder. All this lead to Makhi doing a medical retirement.

Here is what a later jet procedure is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYrlkCfjb4s


Makhi was a stud QB through his freshman year of high school. Then he broke his leg before his sophomore year and missed almost the whole seasons. He got passed up at QB and moved to primarily play defense. He still played some RB his last 2 years in HS and this biased uncle think she should have started.

Jr season. mostly D plays, but 2:40min mark showed what he could do on offense.

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9544063/5db...0f180fed7c

Sr season ( sat our first 2 games for covid exposure)

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9544063/5f8...083cbe1f75

History of bad luck -

High school
Fr - epic season as QB. In line to maybe start varsity as soph.
Soph - broke leg right before the season
Jr - very good season
- shoulder surgery after season
Sr - sat our first 2 games for covid exposure
- missed other games from shoulder injuries
- shoulder surgery after end of season

NIU
Fr - can't keep weight on = lost some playing time like in conf champ game
- throwing up sick in locker room during bowl game

Soph - shoulder surgery in July(later jet)
- reaggravates shoulder in October, right after getting cleared to play
- needs later jet on other shoulder - retires.



I can't help from being selfishly bummed about him retiring. Especially knowing he probably would have started vs Nebraska this year. (we are from Nebraska). Getting to see him getting decent playing time at Michigan was really cool..and at Notre Dame in 2 years would have been a great experience too. I went to 4 games his freshman year and had a blast. I might go back for the Nebraska game(I now live in AZ) just to see the familiar NIU players in person one last time.

Our family will still be Huskie fans and hope to see them back in a bowl. It should be a great season to be a Huskie!

PS - sorry for the rambling. :)

Thank you for sharing. I liked your nephew's game in his brief action. Hope you can continue to support the Huskies!

Best of luck