Louisville's Guy anxious to move on after shooting

By Will Graves - Associated Press

LOUISVILLE — Trent Guy can still hear the shots echoing through the parking garage moments after he left a local nightclub last month.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

Nineteen times a group of assailants fired at Guy and his fiancee in the early-morning hours of July 5. Somehow, only one of the bullets struck the Louisville wide receiver, lodging in his back.

A month later, the memories still haunt Guy. He's not sure what happened. He's not sure why it happened. But he does know he's thankful to have survived.

”An inch to the right it would have hit my spine, an inch to the left it would have hit a vital organ,“ Guy said.

Instead, doctors were able to remove the bullet shortly after the attack. Now, a month later, Guy has declared himself pain-free and is already preparing for his return. He began running on Friday and could be cleared for contact drills in September.

”I just want to help my team as much as possible,“ he said. ”There's no reason for me to sit out if I can go out and play. I just want to be a part of the team.“

Getting back on the field is what kept Guy going during the sobering days following the shooting.

”What was going through my mind the whole time I got shot was "Am I going to be able to play football again?' “ Guy said. ”When the doctors came in and told me I'm a very lucky young man, I didn't tell them I was lucky, I told them I was blessed.“

No arrests have been made, but Guy isn't living in fear. He called the shooting a ”wake-up call.“ He's begun attending church more regularly and says he has no malice toward his attackers.

”I don't feel any kind of way toward the guys about it,“ he said. ”I just pray to God about the situation and pray for those guys.“

Guy's recovery has inspired a program that appeared in disarray following a disappointing 6-6 finish last season. His first stop after leaving the hospital was the school's football complex, and there were tears in the eyes of some of his teammates when he walked into the locker room.

”Trent was probably four inches away from where that bullet hit of not being here right now,“ Coach Steve Kragthorpe said. ”Our guys, I think it gave them a better appreciation for life.“

Guy had planned on 2008 being a breakout year after spending two seasons in a largely backup role. He caught 11 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns last year and returned both a punt and kickoff for touchdowns on special teams.

He still might make those plays, but until then will spend training camp as a pseudo graduate assistant, working with some of the team's young receivers.

”Coach K has me helping the guys, teaching the young guys,“ he said. ”It's a learning experience for me. It helps me learn plays and it helps me learn defenses.“

The 5-foot-9 Guy has lost about 10 pounds off his already slender frame, and knows long days in the weight room are ahead. Now, though, he sees those sometimes torturous training sessions in a new light. If anything, they'll keep him occupied while he waits for doctors to give him the OK to play.

”Every time I go back, I'm like "Am I released yet? Can I get back on the field?'“ said Guy, whose next doctor's appointment is Aug. 20. ”But I'm not going to rush. I can't do that.“