University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
D'Angelo Status Still Uncertain
9/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
D'Angelo Status Still Uncertain
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Even with an off weekend ahead, Southern Miss continued to work hard on the practice field Tuesday, because the off week will be followed quickly by a Thursday night, September 25 game against nationally-ranked Nebraska. In addition, starting quarterback Micky D'Angelo's status remains uncertain, following a scheduled MRI exam Tuesday. The junior quarterback suffered a concussion in last weekend's Memphis game and did not play in the second half of the Golden Eagle victory. Head Coach Jeff Bower says doctors say, tentatively, that the coast native can return to practice Sunday when the team reports back, following a couple of days off. "I understand that the MRI was negative, but the doctors will do a full evaluation again tomorrow, similar to what they did last year, and we just can't make any decisions until the doctors get their reports done," Bower said. "The doctors are the ones who will make the eventual call, in that regard. Certainly Micky and his family will have some input, but we want to get as much information as we can before he and his family make any decisions. I would have thought we would have more information today, but some of the doctors have been in surgery, and we just have to wait until we get everything we need to make a decision." D'Angelo will not practice this week, and Bower says a decision on his practice availability for Sunday will depend on what happens in between. Bower also said the Eagles continue to work both the freshmen quarterbacks, Damion Carter and Jeremy Young, as co-number twos, and that a decision would be made on a No. 2 following Thursday's practice. Bower says Tuesday's practice started slow, but improved as it went along. "We did some goal line, short-yardage scrimmage work late in the practice, got in some more live punt work," said Bower. "We've still got too many people banged up and need to get some of those people ready and back to practice as we continue to get ready for a very good Nebraska team." Southern Miss entertains Nebraska in a 6:30 p.m., game Sept. 25, in M.M. Roberts Stadium, in a game that will be televised nationally by ESPN, and then will open October with games at Cincinnati (Oct. 4) and Alabama (Oct. 11.)
