The true measure of an athlete isn't necessarily in the wins and losses; it's how he or she handles adversity.

Will the player give up when faced with insurmountable odds or will he or she have the courage, resolve, hope and determination to fight back?

University of Akron senior defensive back and captain John Mackey decided to fight back.

In the Zips' 27-20 win against rival Kent State on Sept. 22, Mackey, the leader not only on the defense but also on the entire Zips' team, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He returned from the locker room in the second half on crutches, and a few days later, the school said Mackey probably was out for the season.

If you know anything about

Mackey, the former Walsh Jesuit star who is now in his fifth season at UA, you know he's not a quitter. Last season, he battled through a painful shoulder and other injuries for most of the season but still started all 12 games and led the team in tackles.

And you know he wouldn't have wanted to end his career without trying everything in his power to get back out on the field.

''Everyone kept telling me it can't be done. Why?'' he said Monday. ''I would rather take a chance and come back, play through this and be with the guys during this last stretch than to not take a shot . . . so I just went for it.''

Mackey said he injured his knee against the Golden Flashes while he was blitzing. The offensive guard and tackle from the opposite side of the line pulled and Mackey realized he was in the wrong spot. His only option was to stand there and brace for the collision.

His foot was planted and his knee gave way.

Mackey will undergo surgery, but that's after the season. For now, he's using a knee brace for support. The rest of it is all guts.

''The Tuesday before the Temple game, I had been lifting to try to strengthen my leg before surgery,'' Mackey said. ''They told me not to do certain things but just out of curiosity, I did some things just to test my limit to see when my knee would give. So I was hitting the sled and doing leg presses and my knee felt good.

''If I sit down or stand for too long, there is some pain. But if I'm constantly moving, it feels good. The pain is so dull compared to what my shoulder was like that I don't even notice it. I'm always running with some kind of pain.

''It's my fifth year. I was talking to (senior wide receiver) Jabari (Arthur) and he said, 'Man, we're getting old.' He's almost over the hill, though.''

UA coach J.D. Brookhart said Mackey got approval from team doctors a few weeks ago to get back on the field. Early last week, Mackey took the field for the first time in pads.

''He looked good,'' Brookhart said. ''We'll continue to evaluate him. How well he practices (this week) will determine how much he can play'' Friday at Bowling Green. Mackey played three series Saturday in the 26-10 loss at Buffalo.

''Just having him in uniform as a captain in front of the team where he rightfully belongs is great,'' Brookhart said.

Mackey added: ''Just to go from being told that your career is over, then to be able to put the pads on again, I can't explain it. It's an unbelievable feeling just to have that second chance.''