College football update … Auburn redshirt sophomore DE Carl Lawson, one of the most explosive pure pass rushers in college football, returned to practice earlier today after missing just about the season to date. Lawson, who did not play in 2014 because of a torn ACL, injured his hip in the season opener with Louisville, and hasn’t played or practised since. Auburn still has not decided whether Lawson will suit up when the Tigers play Mississippi on Saturday, but needless to say pro scouts are hoping he does as he’d be going up against star Ole Miss LT Laremy Tunsil. Tunsil, of course, is just himself after sitting out the first seven games of the year while the NCAA investigated allegations that he received improper benefits from player agents, but looked in mid-season form last week when he held Myles Garrett, Texas A&M’s star sophomore passer, sackless last week in his first game back … Baylor got the bad news earlier this week that rising junior QB Seth Russell in fact will require surgery to repair that fractured bone in his neck suffered last weekend and will be out for the rest of the year. Russell wasn’t necessarily expected to opt to enter the 2016 draft, but his loss could have a huge impact on the race for the national playoffs as unbeaten Baylor is currently ranked second in the country … Another top junior is out for the year as Wisconsin C Dan Voltz, who had been considered to be one of the top 2-3 prospects at the position for the 2016 draft with top 50 potential, will also miss the rest of the year after he suffered an undisclosed knee injury in the Badgers’ game with Illinois last weekend … At the same time, Boise State is also planning for the possibility that OT Rees Odhiambo, who broke an ankle in the 4th quarter of Saturday’s game with Wyoming and will undergo surgery tomorrow, will miss the rest of the regular season, but could conceivably return for a bowl game. The 6-5, 310-pound Odhiambo is considered to be a potential mid-to-late round prospect for the 2016 draft … Meanwhile, James Madison QB Vad Lee, one of the top players at the position at the FCS level, will miss the rest of the year with a foot injury. Lee injured his left foot early in the fourth quarter last Saturday against Richmond. For the record, Lee currently leads the FCS ranks in total offense per game (375.5), while he is fourth in passing TDs (21) and fifth in completion percentage (68.3%); for good measure Lee is also 8th in the country in rushing with just over 800 yards through 8 games … On the hand, Oklahoma officials breathed a sigh of relief when the ankle injury CB Zack Sanchez suffered against Texas Tech was ruled a sprain. Sanchez, a second-day candidate for the upcoming draft, likely will miss this week’s breather game against hapless Kansas and will be re-evaluated next week … Same story at UCLA where early fears the RB Paul Perkins could be gone for an extended period with a knee injury, but he’s already reportedly back at practice.
