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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebel Linebacker Eddie Strong To Have Surgery
9/13/2000 | Football
Sept. 13, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss junior linebacker Eddie Strong of Batesville, Miss., will undergo surgery here Thursday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi to repair a stress fracture to the fifth metatarsal in his left foot.
Strong, who led the Rebels in tackles last season with 72, had already missed the first two games this fall after suffering an injury to his left foot on August 23.
"All prior tests were inconclusive for a stress fracture," said Ole Miss trainer Tim Mullins, who immediately began two and one-half weeks of conservative treatment in hopes of recovery.
"After further tests, a stress fracture was finally confirmed," Mullins said. "Eddie will be out indefinitely, but we do expect a full recovery."
Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe had expressed hope that Strong would be back in the lineup by this week's game at Vanderbilt.
"After the early tests did not show a stress fracture, we were careful with the way we went about treatment and did not allow him to return to practice," Cutcliffe said. "Eddie wasn't getting better, and another series of tests were performed. This time the stress fracture was confirmed."
Considered one of the nation's top linebackers returning in 2000, Strong made several pre-season All-Southeastern Conference teams. Lindy's magazine rated him as the nation's fifth best inside linebacker.
Strong, who was named to the Butkus Award "watch list" for the national linebacker award, was a second team All-SEC pick in 1999 when he played outside linebacker. At 6-2 1/2, 245 pounds, Strong moved to middle linebacker last spring and was expected to be a vital part of the defensive scheme before sustaining the injury during pre-season drills.
