Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf will miss the remainder of the season with a neck injury, Matt Luke announced at his weekly Monday press conference.
Metcalf was injured on the Rebels’ first drive of the game against Arkansas and did not return to the game. Luke said that it is not a spinal issue and that Metcalf will be fine long term, but the injury will require surgery. The redshirt sophomore caught 26 balls for 569 yards and five touchdowns this season.
Metcalf redshirted his true freshman season in 2016 after breaking his foot in the second game of the year against Wofford.
“We are going to get him the best care we possibly can overall,” head coach Matt Luke said. “He was obviously very disappointed. They put a lot into this and this is so important to them. But in the grand scheme of things, longterm is what you have to look at and he is going to be fine longterm.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF6HgMXfYVs
Braylon Sanders will assume a bigger role in the offense in Metcalf’s absence. Luke also hinted at the possibility of moving A.J. Brown from slot to outside receiver and using freshman Elijah Moore in the slot. Brown began his career on the outside but has primarily played slot the last two seasons.
“He is still going to play in the slot,” offensive coordinator Phil Longo said. “We have tremendous confidence in Braylon Sanders. But if need be, we have confidence in Elijah Moore. You don’t replaced a D. K. Metcalf so we aren’t going to try to. We are going to look at the weapons in the arsenal and use them the best we can. I am confident in the receiving corps.”
Sanders has 12 catches for 247 yards and a touchdown in seven games this season. Moore has 11 catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns.
Luke also announced that defensive end Markel Winters will miss three weeks with a sprained knee.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysdSyg2Rn_g
