Linebacker Dyshawn Davis returned to practice on Tuesday after missing two-plus weeks with a high right ankle sprain.

“We worked him in,” linebackers coach Clark Lea said. “He’s been out for a little while so obviously there’s some rust there with the ankle, but he was able to get out there and run around some.

“We’ll get the report in the morning on how he did. I think we’ll find out more in the morning in terms of how he responds and have a plan if he’s ready and have a plan if he’s not.”

Davis re-injured the ankle late in the first half of SU’s win over North Carolina State on Oct. 12. He did not return in that game and missed the Orange’s 56-0 loss to Georgia Tech a week later.

SU head coach Scott Shafer said Davis ran for the first time in practice on Monday before he practiced with contact on Tuesday.

“For that injury, the contact’s not an issue,” Lea said. “Obviously you want him to stay out of some of the piles that are created sometimes in practice, but he’ll move around as he can and again, we’ll find out more in the morning.”

Shafer described Davis’ rehab work as diligent on his weekly teleconference, but displayed confidence in Marqez Hodge, the reserve linebacker who logged a career-high 12 tackles in his first career start against the Yellow Jackets.

“He’s an extremely active player,” Shafer said of Hodge. “He just reacts fast when he sees the offensive play develop. I just love his motor and the way he runs around.”

Shafer said he would have to “wait and see” about George Morris II’s status. The running back has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury.

“George is probably going to be a wait-and-see thing,” Shafer said. “We’ll probably know more by Thursday.”

Published on October 29, 2013 at 12:38 pm

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