Jordan Wilkins avoids serious injury, returns to practice

We mentioned earlier this week that Ole Miss backup running back Jordan Wilkins left the Louisiana-Lafayette game with an injury, and that Hugh Freeze made a vague and somewhat ominous statement about awaiting test results for a swollen knee. Don't worry, Wilkins is fine.

The redshirt freshman was back at practice on Wednesday after getting good feedback on a Monday MRI, according to Hugh Kellenberger of The Clarion-Ledger. Freeze said the test revealed a slight sprain in the MCL, not a tear.

It sounds as though Wilkins, who has run for 47 yards on 14 carries serving as the short-yardage back in heavy sets, will play against Memphis on Sept. 27.

Freeze wasn't as sure about running back I'Tavius Mathers, who went down with a sprained toe against ULL.

I would say there's a chance I'Tavius [could miss the Memphis game]. I don't think he will and our trainers don't think he will but they're not ready to say he won't either. I saw him today and he said it was feeling better, and some of the swelling had gone down. But pushing off on that big toe, with a pretty good sprain, can be difficult.

The bye gives Mathers an extra week to heal up, though there's no real need to rush him back against Memphis. Don't be surprised if he gets an extra week to heal up for Bama.