2012 College Football: SEC Injury Updates Week Seven
By Ryan Wright
Sep 1, 2012; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Alonzo Highsmith (45) runs after recovering a fumble as he is tackled by Jacksonville State Gamecocks quarterback Coty Blanchard (11) at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Arkansas defeated Jacksonville State 49-24. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-US PRESSWIRE
At the half way point of the 2012 college football season most SEC teams are getting healthier while teams like the Kentucky Wildcats, LSU Tigers, and Arkansas Razorbacks cannot shake the curse of injuries week after week so far this season.
The Razorbacks found out this week they will be without two senior defensive starters for the rest of the year. Linebacker Alonzo Highsmith (foot) and defensive end Tenarius Wright (shoulder) both had season and ultimately college career ending surgeries this week.
Arkansas will be without starting tight end Chris Gragg for another week due to a deep bone bruise in his leg he suffered three weeks ago against Rutgers.
On the bright side for the Hogs they will get starting corner Tevin Mitchell back on the field this week versus Kentucky. Mitchell, the Razorbacks best cover corner, suffered a concussion in week two in the Louisiana-Monroe game then had gallbladder surgery days after the game.
Arkansas gets a bye next week before meeting Ole Miss in Little Rock (Oct. 27). The team can use the break and time to get everyone back on the field before a season ending schedule that includes South Carolina, MSU, and LSU.
LSU is starting to look threadbare on the offensive line. Offensive tackle Alex Hurst is questionable verses South Carolina this week for personal reasons and offensive guard Josh Williford could be out as well with a concussion. The Tigers depth at linebacker took another hit when Kwon Alexander was ruled out for season due to an ankle injury.
The big news last week was the suspension of Missouri Tigers true freshman wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham for possession of marijuana. “DGB”, along with two other freshman teammates, were caught in the parking lot of Memorial Stadium and subsequently suspended for last week’s game against Vanderbilt.
Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel must feel that the boys have learned their lesson after a one-game suspension for smoking pot in the middle of the season in the football stadium parking lot as each player has been reinstated in time for No. 1 Alabama this weekend.
On the Kentucky front, Maxwell Smith is out indefinitely allowing true freshman Jalen Whitlow a second consecutive start under center for the Wildcats. Kentucky has been banged up all year on both sides of the ball. Joker Phillips does not get a break on the schedule until Nov. 10, when he gets a bye week followed up by a visit from Samford.
Several big games line the SEC schedule this week. All eyes will be on South Carolina vs. LSU but several trap games could cause some disruptions in team goals by the end of the weekend.
One of the bigger questions in the SEC is how will Florida respond after an emotional home win over LSU? The Gators travel this weekend to Vanderbilt, a team that played tough in the Swamp last year (26-21). Vanderbilt has not lived up to expectations but got a big road win over Missouri last weekend. Was that a one-game mirage or are the Commodores about to turn everything around?
Everyone wants to know if Mississippi State (5-0) is legitimate or not. Tennessee represents the first team on the Bulldogs schedule that could be on their level on both sides of the ball.
Can Dan Mullen sneak past the Vols improving to 6-0 before Middle Tennessee comes to town? If so, the Bulldogs will be 7-0 and an assured top 15 team when they roll into Tuscaloosa Oct. 27 lining up a big SEC showdown… on paper.
The upset alert of the week goes to Texas A&M. Kevin Sumlin has the Aggies playing well, especially redshirt quarterback Johnny Manziel. This week Sumlin takes his team on the road to Louisiana Tech, a high-octane offense that could prove to be too much for A&M.
The Aggies enter the game a little banged up after a close road win over Ole Miss last week (30-27). Sumlin suspended linebacker Steven Jenkins and safety Howard Matthews before the season started for the first game of the year; Louisiana Tech. Since the game was postponed due to weather both defensive starters will sit against one of the most potent offenses in college football. Another ding against the Aggies is left guard Shep Klinnke is out for season with a foot injury as reported on Tuesday.
Week Six SEC Scores
Texas A&M 30 at Ole Miss 27
Georgia 7 at No. South Carolina 35
Auburn 7 vs. Arkansas 24
LSU 6 at Florida 14
Mississippi State 27 at Kentucky 14
Vanderbilt 19 at Missouri 15
Had a Bye
No. 1 Alabama (4-0)
Tennessee
Week Seven SEC Games
Kentucky (1-5, 0-3) at Arkansas (2-4, 1-2)
Auburn (1-4, 0-3) at Ole Miss (3-3, 0-2)
No. 1 Alabama (5-0, 2-0) at Missouri (3-3, 0-3)
No. 4 Florida (5-0, 4-0) at Vanderbilt (2-3, 1-2)
No. 22 Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0) at Louisiana Tech (5-0, 2-0)
No. 3 South Carolina (6-0, 4-0) at LSU (5-1, 1-1)
Tennessee (3-2) at No. 19 Mississippi State (5-0, 2-0)
On a Bye
No. 14 Georgia (5-1, 3-1)
Alabama
WR Chris Black, out for season, shoulder (8-10-12)
CB Travell Dixon, left team (8-11-12)
DB Jarrick Williams, out for season, knee (8-11-12)
RB/FB Jaslston Fowler, out for season, knee (9-10-12)
WR DeAndrew White, out for season, knee (10-1-12)
RB Dee Hart, out for season, knee (10-1-12)
NG Brandon Ivory, probable vs. Missouri, ankle
WR Kevin Norwood, probable vs. Missouri, foot
DB Deion Belue, questionable vs. Missouri, shoulder
Arkansas
TE Jeremy Sprinkle, out for season, wrist
WR Marquel Wade, out for season, disciplinary reasons
FB Kiero Small, out for season, foot (9-6-12)
RB/FB Kody Walker, out for season, leg, (9-9-12)
DE Tenarius Wright, out for season, shoulder (10-10-12)
LB Alonzo Highsmith, out for season, foot (10-8-12)
TE Chris Gragg, doubtful vs. Kentucky, leg bruise
CB Kaelon Kelleybrew, probable vs. Kentucky, concussion
CB Tevin Mitchell, probable vs. Kentucky, concussion/gallbladder surgery
RB Ronnie Wingo, questionable vs. Kentucky, shoulder
QB Tyler Wilson, probable vs. Kentucky, car accident
Auburn
WR DeAngelo Benton, probable vs. Ole Miss, suspension served
WR Quan Bray, probable vs. Ole Miss, suspension served
OL Christian Westerman, out vs. Ole Miss, unknown
CB Chris Davis, probable vs. Ole Miss, unknown
Florida
WR Michael McNeely, out for season, foot (8-24-12)
DE Ronald Powell, out indefinitely, ACL (8-21-12)
LS Drew Ferris, out indefinitely, collarbone (9-03-12)
LB Jelani Jenkins, probable vs. Vanderbilt, thumb
DB Cody Riggs, out indefinitely, foot
OT Matt Patchan, out indefinitely, pectoral (10-9-12)
Georgia
OT Kolton Houston, out indefinitely, eligibility
OL Hunter Long, foot
RB Brandon Harton, out three weeks, thumb (9-28-12)
WR Michael Bennett, out for season, ACL (10-3-12)
Kentucky
TE Anthony Kendrick, out for season, eligibility
QB Maxwell Smith, out indefinitely, shoulder
CB Marcus Caffey, out for season, grades
S Glenn Faulkner, questionable vs. Arkansas, ankle
RB CoShik Williams, out for season, hip
DT Mister Cobble, probable vs. Arkansas, infection
S Ashely Lowery, doubtful vs. Arkansas, concussion
DB Dakotah Tyler, out for season, ACL (10-1-12)
S Mikie Benton, doubtful vs. Arkansas, ankle
S Martavius Neloms, doubtful vs. Arkansas, hamstring
QB Patrick Towles, out vs. Arkansas, ankle
QB Jalen Whitlow expected to start vs. Arkansas
LSU
CB Tyrann Mathieu, out for season, dismissed (8-10-12)
OT Chris Faulk, out for season, knee (9-7-12)
TE Tyler Edwards, out for season, academics
LB Tahj Jones, out for season, academics
OT Evan Washington, out for season, academics
LB D.J. Welter, out for season, academics
DE Jordan Allen, out for season, undisclosed
WR Travin Dural, out for season, knee
RB Alfred Blue, out indefinitely, knee (9-18-12)
FB J.C. Copeland, probable vs. South Carolina, ankle
OT Alex Hurst, questionable vs. South Carolina, personal
OG Josh Williford, questionable vs. South Carolina, concussion
LB Kwon Alexander, out for season, ankle
Mississippi State
No injuries reported
Missouri
WR Wesley Leftwich, out indefinitely, food poisoning
RB Henry Josey, out for season, knee
OG Travis Ruth, out for the season, triceps
OL Logan Adkison, out for season, dismissal
OT Taylor Chappell, out for season, knee
OL Jack Meiners, out indefinitely, knee
WR Dorial Green-Beckham, probable vs. Alabama, suspension servered
QB James Franklin, out indefinitely, knee
QB Corbin Berkstresser expected to start vs. Alabama
OL Mitch Morse, out indefinitely, knee
LB Will Ebner, questionable vs. Alabama, hamstring
RB Marcus Murphy, probable vs. Alabama, hand
Ole Miss
LB D.T. Shackelford, out for season, knee (8-4-12)
WR Tobias Singleton, out for season, left team
DL Woodrow Hamilton, doubtful vs. Auburn, ankle
WR Korvic Neat, probable vs. Auburn, groin
WR Collins Moore, out for season, shoulder (10-8-12)
OL Justin Bell, doubtful vs. Auburn, back
QB Bo Wallace, probable vs. Auburn, unknown
South Carolina
RB Shon Carson, out indefinitely, wrist
S Sheldon Royster, out for season, left team
RB Brandon Wilds, out indefinitely, ankle
OT Mike Matulis, probable vs. LSU, shoulder
CB Akeem Auguste, questionable vs. LSU, ankle
DT Byron Jerideau, questionable vs. LSU, ankle
Tennessee
WR Da’Rick Rogers, left team, transfer
LB LaTroy Lewis, out for season, knee
PK George Bullock, out for season, broken leg
Texas A&M
RB Brandon Williams, out for season, eligibility
RB Will Randolph, left team, undisclosed
TE Hutson Prioleau, left team, personal (8-7-12)
DB Steven Campbell, probable vs. Louisiana Tech, concussion
DB Deshazor Everett, probable vs. Louisiana Tech, shoulder
LB Steven Jenkins, out vs. Louisiana Tech, suspension
OL Shep Klinnke, out for season, foot (10-9-12)
S Howard Matthews, out vs. Louisiana Tech, suspension
Vanderbilt
LB Tristan Strong, left team, personal
DE Thad McHaney, out for season, back (9-7-12)