TSU former Maplewood star still battles ankle injury

By MIKE ORGAN, Staff Writer

Former Maplewood receiver Jonathan Moore, who was making a bid for a starting assignment on Tennessee State's offense, was injured worse than previously believed.

Moore still hasn't practiced since suffering a severe ankle sprain last week. The injury kept Moore out of TSU's first scrimmage last Saturday and will likely keep him out of the second one, which is tonight at Hale Stadium.

Moore was a top candidate to fill the slot-receiver position vacated by Mike Mason, last year's starter.

"Jonathan's got a worse injury than we thought, and we're not really sure when he'll be back," Coach James Webster said. "It's not going to require surgery or anything like that, but it's a bad ankle sprain. He's a wide receiver, and those guys have got to make cuts and everything, and he's just not able to make cuts right now. He was doing a great job before he got hurt."

With Moore sidelined, along with sophomore Troy Smith (6 catches for 45 yards in 2006), who also has an ankle injury, two transfers are battling for the first team spot.

Ronald Evans, a transfer from Mississippi State, and Kwame Patrick, a transfer from Alabama-Birmingham, have impressed the coaches.

"Evans and Patrick are doing a really good job, now that it's down to those two guys," Webster said. "With the two kids (Smith and Moore) we were counting on at the start of practice out, these two guys are getting their chance.''

Expecting more: Webster wants a better effort in today's 6 p.m. scrimmage. He had some choice words after last Saturday's scrimmage.

"I'm embarrassed. … If we were playing a game tonight, the outcome would not be pretty," Webster said. "There was no intensity or enthusiasm. … You better believe that we (coaches) are going to work you harder on intensity and execution to have you ready for our opening game. We can't beat Alabama A&M, or any team for that matter with the effort you showed."

Moving practice: The start of practice will move from 6 p.m. to 4 p.m. next Tuesday, which is when classes begin. Practices were moved to later in the day to avoid the heat.

Divens impresses: Defensive tackle Lamar Divens is still recovering from a knee injury that sidelined him the first week of camp.