The first surgery, which happened on April 5, required doctors to place four screws and a plate in his back, which were inserted to stabilize two vertebrae (T-12 and L-1 vertebrae) until the bones can heal. The second operation, on April 7, was performed to improve Woods' chances for a full recovery. The surgeries were done at the University of Arizona Medical Center and performed by Dr. Rolando Roberto.

"Ed Orr (athletic trainer) and Dr. (Donald) Porter (Arizona team physician) sat me down and said that having the surgery would be best for me," Woods said. "They said that I did not have to have the surgery, but my career would definitely be in jeopardy if I did not have it."

Woods said he believes that a Valley Fever fungus he picked up led to the weakening of the bone, and ultimately was the reason his back did not heal.

"I had a bone scan done and found out that the Valley Fever was actually in the bone," Woods said. "That was why it wasn't getting any better. When you look at it that way, it kind of makes sense on why that even though I wasn't playing the last six games, that is why my back wasn't getting any better."

Woods' rehabilitation schedule is progressing well and he should be able to start running again the second week of June, followed by running and jumping around the second week of July. He has lost around 20 pounds as a result of the injury, but has started to regain some of the weight and is up to around 235 pounds now. He hopes to get back to around 260 pounds, which was where he was this season.

ADDITIONAL QUOTES FROM THE PRESS CONFERENCE

"I figured that I would be miserable about it (surgery) for a couple of weeks, and then I would have to come back extra hard and really work over the summer. This was just what was going to be best for me in the future."

"I can't answer what this is going to be like in the future yet. I am just going to have to wait until practice and the games start in the fall to see how things are going to go. I am going to start rehab in a couple of weeks, and we'll see from there."

"It was really scary for me. I didn't know if I would be able to play at the same level that I had been playing. Even now, I can't answer that question until practice starts in October. The way I am feeling now, we are right on track and I will start rehab in a couple of weeks. I am just looking forward now."

"The first time I went in for the surgery I was really nervous before I actually got to the hospital. Once I got to the hospital, I was like, 'hey these guys (the doctors) are getting paid an awful lot of money to be the best.' With the second one, I figured it was like shooting a free throw and in this case, it was a two-shot free throw and we missed the first one, but got the second one to go in."

"Getting back to where I was this year is just going to be a matter of how hard I work over the summer and in practice. People are going to say that if I miss a blocked shot or a shot close to the basket that it was because I had back surgery. That is not going to be the case. It is all going to depend on how hard I am going to work to come back."

"I told the doctors 'I trust you, just do what you get paid for and be the best surgeon you can be.' I had great doctors, technicians and nurses at the hospital. I trusted them."

From athletic trainer Ed Orr on the second surgery:
"The fact that Loren is young and he's an athlete and has basically one chance to have a good result, the surgeon wanted to be absolutely sure that he gave him the best result possible. To give Loren the best chance to do everything he wants to accomplish, they thought that it would be the best thing. It's not like anything went wrong or something broke, or something came out, but it was to just do it the best way they possibly could."

Arizona team physician Dr. Donald Porter on the Valley Fever:
"It appears what may have happened was the Valley Fever may have infected and weakened the bone. Then Loren fell, and that is when the injury occurred. It's an unusual complication