Mullen: MSU TE Green expected to play

September 15, 2010

Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen reaffirmed his confidence Monday that junior tight end Marcus Green would play Saturday night against Louisiana State.
The Bulldogs main pass-catching option at the tight end position suffered an injury to his right knee that kept him out of the second half of MSU’s 17-14 home loss to Auburn Thursday night.
Mullen didn’t even bother to list any players on his weekly injury report as ‘probable’ and after listing him as the starting tight end on the depth chart, restated Monday during his media gathering that he expects him to be able to play without any physical limitations.
However, Green was not available for comment after Monday’s practice. MSU officials said Green’s participation in the first workout of the week was limited.
Mullen said Green had received his MRI exam this weekend and his confident talk when he sat down with reporters Friday about Green’s health was apparently backed up by the medical scan. The second-year head coach said Green “should be good to go”.
“What they said – they’re doing an MRI to make sure it’s nothing,” Mullen said Friday. “They told us where they feel he should be fine for next week is what I’ve heard but I haven’t heard back from the MRI yet.”
Green was seen leaving the Bryan Building Friday evening before he’d received his MRI exam with a large wrap-around brace protector on his knee. He was seen with the same brace, which goes from his hip down to his ankle, on his right leg after practice Monday.
The junior tight end caught 27 passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns last year and was one of the most highly-recruited prospects in Mississippi three years ago out of Kemper County High in Scooba.
Senior tight end Brandon Henderson is listed as the backup but he is tied with Green with three catches this season for 25 yards.
“We like the mismatch those guys play and like any position we want to be able to rotate guys through,” Mullen said. “Brandon’s done a nice job, really improved his game from where he was from this time last year to now.
After returning for his final season after recovering from last season’s ankle injury, Henderson has become a major threat in the passing game by being able to use his 245-pound frame on a safety or smaller linebacker.
“With a guy like Brandon you wish the light would’ve come on for him a year and a half ago cause he knows what type of player he could be today,” Mullen said. “A lot of those guys they get to their senior year and start making plays because there’s that sense of urgency to perform at practice (and) in games.”