STARKVILLE — Tyler Russell is learning how to play with pain in preparation for the 2011 Music City Bowl.
Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen confirmed Monday that Russell has a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee and is expected to play against Wake Forest at 5:40 p.m. Dec. 30 (ESPN) in Nashville, Tenn.
Russell, a sophomore quarterback who was a Parade All-American out of Meridian High School, started four games this season. He suffered the injury after a Dec. 13 practice, and, according to Mullen, will wear the same long, black brace on his left leg that he referred to as “the immobilizer” today in the team’s final practice before the holiday break.
“We’ll keep him healthy,” Mullen said. “He’ll do day off and on (in the brace). He was a little sore (Sunday). He sucks it up and goes through the pain. He’s learning how to do that.”
Media has been restricted from practice this week, and Russell hasn’t been available for interviews since he suffered the injury. MSU offensive coordinator Les Koenning joked he keeps telling Russell the injury is “just a bruise”
Mullen said last week Russell won’t have to have surgery. Russell’s injury forces MSU to run nearly every snap in practice with senior Chris Relf while freshman Dak Prescott is on the scout team running Wake Forest’s offense.
“Chris is pretty tired,” Mullen said. “(Dak) is not going to play. Until they change that rule in the NCAA that allow kids with great students five years of eligibility, then he’s not playing. Tyler will be ready to play, so we have those two.”
The Music City Bowl will be Relf’s final game at MSU. He has good memories of his last bowl appearance. He went 18 of 23 for 281 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-14 victory against the University of Michigan in the 2011 Gator Bowl.
“It’s great for us to get offensively in rhythm, but it’s tough for him physically because Tyler had been going so much this season,” Koenning said.
It remains to be seen how effective Russell will be when MSU (6-6) begins bowl practice Dec. 26.
“I don’t think (Tyler) will be 100 percent for the game,” Mullen said. “He can’t even move it right now. We’ll probably get him a couple of days of practice during bowl week. Maybe a day-on and day-off type situation so he’s ready to play in the game.”
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