Published August 3, 2012 - 1:20pm
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Missouri fans are all breathing a little easier today on account of James Franklin’s quick recovery to his surgically repaired shoulder.
Franklin partially tore his labrum during spring practice and had arthroscopic surgery to repair it. No one was really quite sure what to expect at his first practice.
But Coach Gary Pinkel said if Franklin had to be in the lineup tomorrow, he could do that.
“If you just walked out here and didn’t know he had surgery you wouldn’t think anything was up,” Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel said after the two-hour practice on the Kadlec Athletic Fields, MU’s first as official members of the Southeastern Conference. “I kind of marvel at him. He’s obviously a remarkable athlete to be doing what he’s doing after that surgery.”
“He’s not probable,” Pinkel said. “He could play tomorrow.”
Franklin didn’t throw many deep routes, but his timing on shorter, quicker routes looked very crisp.
There’s much to look forward to this season for all SEC fans watching the storyline of Missouri entering the conference, but none of them are quite bigger than the dual-threat quarterback.
Franklin threw for 2,865 yards last year, completing 63.3 percent of his passes and connecting on 21 touchdowns. He also rushed for 981 yards and accounted for a total of 36 touchdowns.
The two biggest dual-threat quarterbacks – Cam Newton and Tim Tebow – in recent memory did have success running and throwing. Am I saying Franklin is that dynamic? I’m not convinced yet. But let’s just wait and see.
