Leonard Fournette sprained his ankle in practice Tuesday and could be out for a brief time. Photo Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
LSU running back Leonard Fournette sprained his ankle during Tuesday’s scrimmage and has been placed in a walking boot.
The Heisman Trophy candidate sustained the injury at the end of the play in which a tackler landed on his leg.
Tigers coach Les Miles termed the injury as minor and emphasized it wasn’t a high ankle sprain. Miles didn’t have a timetable for when Fournette might return to action.
Fournette rushed for 1,034 yards and 10 touchdowns as a freshman in 2014 and had 1,953 yards and 22 scores last season. He finished sixth in last December’s Heisman Trophy balloting.
–ESPN college football analyst Rod Gilmore said he was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma.
“First, I feel great and my prognosis is good,” Gilmore said. “I have great support with an amazing medical team, an incredible wife and family, and amazing friends and colleagues.
“Second, my condition was discovered during an annual physical, which I’ve had done for more than 25 years. Early detection is critical, and I encourage all of you to get annual physicals — cancer does not discriminate, and it will hide if you let it. See you Week 1 in Nashville.”
Gilmore has worked in a broadcast role at ESPN since 1996. He played football at Stanford and is a practicing attorney in the Bay Area.
–A trial date of Oct. 17 was set for former Penn State assistant football coach Mike McQueary’s whisteblower lawsuit against the university.
McQueary filed a suit claiming harm to his personal and professional life after the university ruled he would not be able to serve in a coaching role in 2011, not long after McQueary brought to light allegations that then-defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was being abused in the football locker room shower area.
Penn State placed McQueary on leave; Sandusky was convicted of multiple accounts of sex crimes involving minors, some of which took place after McQueary reported the long-time coach.
–Starting cornerback Keith Watkins II is out for the season with a knee injury, according to Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald.
Watkins, a junior, was part of a solid tandem of cover men for the Wildcats along with Matthew Harris. There is little experience for Fitzgerald to turn to on the roster.
Watkins was injured last week and has surgery scheduled for August 25. He is currently one of the top 50 cornerbacks in the 2018 draft class according to NFLDraftScout.com. He had 47 tackles, including 33 solo, in 2015.
–Missouri running back Trevon Walters has been dismissed from the squad after his recent arrest on charges of theft and fraud.
Walters was arrested Friday by police in Columbia, Mo., for allegedly using a stolen debit card. He was suspended by the university the following day and coach Barry Odom announced his dismissal.
Walters has been charged with one felony and two misdemeanors in connection with his actions, which allegedly occurred in mid-July. The third-year sophomore never played in a game for the Tigers. He redshirted in 2014 and missed last season due to a knee injury.
–Former Auburn running back Jovon Robinson, the former top-ranked player in junior college, is expected to join Division II Valdosta State.
Robinson was dismissed from Auburn in August but has denied involvement in two incidents, with then-teammate Marshall Taylor and a young woman.
Robinson had 639 yards rushing with three touchdowns last season and entered fall camp as the No. 1 back on the depth chart.
