Ole Miss football enters LSU week relatively healthy
OXFORD – Ole Miss emerged from Saturday’s 38-17 win over Kent State with good news.
Most of its players who suffered injuries vs. the Golden Flashes are expected to be healthy by the time the Rebels (3-1, 0-1 SEC West) take the field at No. 5 LSU (4-0, 1-0 SEC West) this weekend.
The exception is redshirt freshman linebacker Josh Clarke, who has been ruled out vs. the Tigers by Ole Miss coach Matt Luke after sustaining a high ankle sprain in his first career start Saturday. Luke also said at his Monday press conference that wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) and defensive tackle Benito Jones (calf) are probable for the trip to Baton Rouge.
Luke said Brown, who left this past weekend’s game in the third quarter, would be able to run Monday afternoon and described his hamstring injury as “very minor.” Brown’s hamstring had previously caused him to miss much of fall camp.
Jones’ snaps were limited against Kent State due to injury, but he played through the pain and started.
Ole Miss quarterback Jordan Ta’amu, who fell hard on his throwing shoulder Saturday, rested Sunday as a precaution. Monday is the Rebels’ off day, so he has two days to recover fully before he’s scheduled to return to practice Tuesday.
“His shoulder loosened up in the second half, and it wasn’t an issue,” Luke said.
Two weeks ago, Ta’amu played through pain in his left shoulder after taking a hard hit against Alabama. Offensive coordinator Phil Longo was careful to evaluate his ability to throw on the sideline before letting him return to the game this past weekend.
“It really turned out to be a lot of nothing,” Longo said after the game.
Luke said he also hopes that corner back Ken Webster will be able to return to full speed this week. The senior missed the past two games with a hamstring injury.