Polk to have surgery, Gottlieb and Johnson likely to play

Published 3:55 pm Thursday, September 11, 2008

A few quick notes before heading out to practice…

Tyrone Willingham said today that Chris Polk will have surgery to repair his torn labrum, meaning his season is almost certainly over. The school will petition for a medical redshirt for Polk so he doesn’t lose a year of eligibility, and since he only played two games, it seems likely he will get it.

Some better news on the injury front: Willingham said tight end Michael Gottlieb (hamstring) has had a good week of practice, and will likely see his first game action of the season. Tailback Brandon Johnson (calf) is also likely to play.

The biggest concern right now seems to be the safety position, where healthy bodies are hard to find. Nate Williams is still banged up, and may or may not be able to go. If he can’t play, the starters will likely be Tripper Johnson, a 26-year-old walk-on, and Johri Fogerson, a freshman who was moved from tailback to safety last week.