ATKINS' DIET: TOUGHNESS CSUN DEFENSIVE BACK RETURNS AFTER TWO KNEE SURGERIES.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Bryson Atkins never had been injured. No sprained ankles. No torn hamstrings. No shoulder separations. Nothing.

That's why the Cal State Northridge defensive back was devastated when he tore the meniscus in his left knee more than a year ago during a recreational basketball game. He was scheduled to start the 2000 season as the Matadors' free safety. Instead, he missed the season altogether.

He endured exhaustive rehabilitation for six months and in February was preparing for spring camp. Then it happened again. It was the same knee, only this time he tore the anterior cruciate ligament while working out.

Now, after another six months of rehab and endless hours in the training room, Atkins is back on the field again.

The redshirt sophomore from Alemany High in Mission Hills will complete the final stage of his comeback when he takes the field today at Walkup Stadium for CSUN's season opener against Northern Arizona.

``It was tough,'' said Atkins, who played nine games as a freshman. ``I thought about not playing. But it was more mental than anything. You grow mentally when you stand out there watching.''

In the beginning, coaches didn't know how Atkins' knee would respond in practice, so he started camp No. 6 on the depth chart. It wasn't until he impressed coaches in workouts that he steadily moved up to second string.

Atkins took his first hit in early August during a drill on the first day veterans reported to camp. He hopped up and ran to the end of the line. He knew everyone was particularly interested to see how he'd react.

``How can I not remember that?'' Atkins laughed. ``I remember everything. I remember the first time I was hurt.''

He knows by memory the days he was injured and the days of his surgeries. CSUN assistant athletic trainer Kathey Moskal remembers only the moment he first stepped back on the field in uniform.

``I almost started crying,'' she said. ``I thought, `My God. He's finally back out here in pads.' I just went up to him and gave him a hug. I was so glad he was out here.''

Moskal and Atkins got to know each other well over the past 13 months. Atkins spent three hours daily under her supervision - lifting weights, sitting in the whirlpool and running.

The knee isn't the same and there are constant reminders of that. He has to have it wrapped in ice every day after practice and he must wear a knee brace in practice and games.

However, he also is left with valuable lessons he absorbed while standing on the sidelines, lessons the coaches hope he'll pass on to his young teammates. He's almost like a coach on the field.

``When a lot of guys are injured, you don't really see them out there,'' defensive backs coach Junior Thurman said. ``We put in an entire new defense in spring ball. He wasn't able to practice, so he'd take mental notes and after practice he'd come to me and ask me questions.

``It's hard to find guys in the NFL that do that. I told the other DBs that sometimes he'd make a play just because he knew where to be.''

Atkins said the key to his recovery was mental toughness. That's probably why he isn't bitter that the ACL, which was partially torn in the first injury, wasn't surgically repaired during the initial surgery.

Moskal said it's a judgment call for the surgeons. If there's enough of the ACL intact, surgery can be deemed unnecessary. That's what happened.

Atkins' only concern is that he's playing football again.

He might start today because first-string safety Travis Campbell suffered a partial tear of the cartilage in his left shoulder and is questionable.

Even if he doesn't start, Atkins will play. Coaches are expecting him to make significant contributions - and he'd have it no other way.

``He's a lot more focused and dedicated to getting better,'' said Matadors cornerback Sean Atkins, Bryson's older brother. ``He's never given up.''

TODAY'S GAME: CSUN vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA

Kickoff: 6:05 p.m., at Walkup Skydome (capacity 15,300).

TV/Radio: On the Internet at www.gomatadors.com with Tony Luftman (play-by-play) and Shawnbay Jones (color commentary).

Records: Season opener for both teams.

Series: Northern Arizona leads 10-4. NAU won last year's meeting 49-26. CSUN had four turnovers and NAU's Marcus King ran for four touchdowns. NAU had to forfeit its victory in 1999 for using an ineligible player.

Injury update: CSUN - QB Marcus Brady (hamstring), OL Keith Kincaid (shoulder) and WR Jason Stone (flu) are probable. DB Travis Campbell is questionable. NAU - None.

Keep an eye on: Brady. The senior will make his 34th consecutive start, and he needs just 152 completions to tie the NCAA Division I-AA career completions mark. Free safety Bryson Atkins. He has come back from two surgeries on his left knee. The secondary. It's young and inexperienced. Linebackers Cos Abercrombie and Lewis Blanton. They're getting attention from NFL scouts in fall camp after combining for 206 tackles last year. Kicker Derek Brown. He struggled last year but won the kicking job again.

Northern Arizona update: King, who ran for 184 yards against CSUN last year, should break the school's rushing record. He ran for 1,474 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. His offensive linemen have 89 starts among them. Quarterback Preston Parsons is expected to start but Grossmont College transfer Clint Womack might see time as well. The Lumberjacks have lost eight of their past nine games and finished 3-8 overall and 2-6 in the Big Sky last season.

- Jill Painter

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photo, box

Photo:

Bryson Atkins has recovered from two knee surgeries and will play in CSUN's season opener tonight against Northern Arizona.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News

Box: TODAY'S GAME: CSUN vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA (see text)