Missouri quarterback James Franklin will be out three to five weeks while recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered against Georgia on Saturday, Tigers coach Gary Pinkel said Monday.
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Initial reports on the injury were that Franklin would be out anywhere from six weeks to the entire season. Either way, his absence is a significant blow to the Tigers, who upset the Bulldogs to improve to 6-0, but now face a tough stretch without their star quarterback. Missouri faces Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee over the next three weeks, all SEC East games that will determine whether the Tigers can remain atop the race in the division. If Franklin is out for five weeks, he could return in time for a road game at Ole Miss on Nov. 23.
Franklin, for his part, had been enjoying a resurgent senior season after his junior year was marred by multiple injuries and ineffectiveness. Ae 6-2, 230-pound senior, Franklin has thrown for 1,577 yards, 14 touchdowns and only three interceptions while completing 67 percent of his passes. Although not considered in the upper tier of quarterback prospects for the 2014 NFL Draft, his size, athleticism and production combine to make him an intriguing prospect at the pro level.
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