Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer used to be a stud. Then it all came crashing down, as did the Bengals’ hopes on Jan. 8, 2006 when Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Kimo von Oelhoffen hit Palmer’s left leg, basically mangling it and tearing both his MCL and ACL.

Since that injury, Palmer has never been the same — Detroit Lions quarterback Jon Kitna is playing better than him (although, to be fair, Kitna’s best friend is Jesus — the real Jesus, not Boston University Jesus). Heck, his backup in college, Matt Cassel, is playing better than Palmer. Did anyone see this coming? I never expected this. For God’s sake, Carson has Ocho Cinco — he shouldn’t be blowing it worse than the great Brett Bennett.

Transitioning from the National Football League to BU basketball, last year something horrible happened before the season began — Tyler Morris was sidelined for the first nine games. It was diagnosed as tibia stress syndrome. It didn’t require surgery, but the injury was a huge setback for not just him, but the entire team.

Morris dealt with ankle his entire freshman year, which is part of the reason he redshirted in 2005-06. He came back in 2006-07 and proved himself in America East by winning the Rookie of the Year award, starting all 30 games and averaging 13.4 points per game. He was the best 3-point shooter in the conference and proved to be the go-to guard when the game was on the line. Morris’s play earned the respect of his coaches and teammates, leading to his appointment as the co-captain of last year’s team.

Before last season even began, the Terriers knew they’d be without Morris for at least part of the year. He played just 20 games, starting 19. His points-per-game average dropped to 6.5, and his field goal percentage dipped from 46.2 in ’06-’07 to 31.1 last year. Tyler was a changed player. He wasn’t what everyone was expecting, and no one can convince me his play did not affect the entire team. They needed the ’06-’07 Tyler Morris last year.

So if Tyler Morris is Carson Palmer, what’s going to happen to Corey Lowe?

Last week The Daily Free Press reported that Lowe injured his knee in a pick-up game — just two months before the season begins. If you have followed BU basketball (like roughly 4.7 percent of this school’s students), you definitely thought of the Tyler Morris situation of ’06-’07 and started associating Lowe with Morris.

I know I did. I’ll tell you I ruined my underwear when I found out about Lowe’s newest injury. It was a messy situation.

Can Corey still be the player everyone wants him to be? A First-Team All-America East player? A player who averages at least 15 points and three to five assists per game? A player who averages about 33 minutes a game and a player everyone in the conference fears, even if he has a Mohawk?

Sorry to put all this pressure on you C-Lowe, but if BU is going to win America East, all these things need to happen. And a lot of John Holland dunks. Those will help, too.

I’d like to think that it can be done. Corey has been injured a lot, and it has never seemed to slow his play down. In ’06-’07, he missed four games with a foot injury but still made the America-East All Rookie Team. Last year, he missed three games with knee bursitis and still set a BU single-season record by knocking down 92 3-balls. That equals 276 points – more than Maine scored all year. (Just kidding, but not really . . .) Also, he gained Second-Team All-America East honors.

At the end of the season, Corey had surgery on ligaments in his right thumb, which hurt his video game abilities more than anything else. Jesus put a repeated whooping on him in NBA 2K8, something Corey will never, ever forget.

So he’ll take the court this season after going under the knife twice in five months — he’ll be almost more machine than man. The question is, will Corey Lowe return to being one of, if not the best, player in America East?

As much as I would like Matt Killen to step up and become a 3-point specialist, that role is already reserved for Corey. Who else can get away with launching shots from five feet in front of half court without Dennis Wolff having an aneurism?

Terrier Nation in unison: “Matt Wolff!”

OK, you’re right. Forgot about Wolff. I mean, I only expect that behavior out of Corey.

So, Corey, please fix yourself – make yourself healthy. Don’t be like Tyler Morris or Carson Palmer. Enter the Terrier Tip-Off on Oct. 24 in a wheelchair, then miraculously stand, do five back-flips and dunk over Scott Brittain.

Or just be able to play in the season opener on Nov. 14 the way this school knows you can. We need you.

Brian Fadem, a junior in the College of Communication, is a weekly columnist for The Daily Free Press. He can be reached at [email protected].