Justin Powell nonetheless battling head damage
Bruce Pearl joked Friday that if Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is in a position to engage in in the AFC Championship Activity on Sunday, he may well give Justin Powell a challenging time.
Mahomes experienced a concussion on Sunday and cleared the NFL’s protocol Friday. The freshman Auburn guard endured a concussion late in the first half of Auburn’s Jan. 2 loss at Texas A&M and has not performed considering that.
Immediately, while, Pearl designed crystal clear that he would not do that. Concussions havedifferent concentrations of severity. They impact every single particular person differently. Powell is nevertheless working with his.
Which is why it seems likely that he will miss out on a sixth consecutive sport Saturday (11 a.m., ESPN2), when Auburn (8-7, 2-5 SEC) plays at South Carolina (3-4, 1-2).
“Mentally, he’s struggling because he wants to be out there,” Pearl explained. “But you can’t be out there if you nonetheless have indicators and you’ve got received complications. He is doing the ideal he can.”
Powell is averaging 11.7 factors on 42.9% taking pictures at the time of his harm. His 6.1 rebounds for each match however direct the crew, and his 4.7 assists rank driving only Sharife Cooper, who joined the lineup for the first time 4 games in the past.
The two freshmen have not nonetheless performed alongside one another.
It’s not crystal clear when they will, possibly. Pearl reported the only time he sees Powell throughout the 7 days is when gamers occur in for COVID-19 testing – concussion protocol dictates that he is not allowed to be at apply except if he clears selected hurdles.
Powell did do that after, on Jan. 11, just before Auburn’s video game at Georgia. He progressed as a result of the protocol enough that he was able to at least go around a minor little bit on the flooring. But he did not reply wonderful to that, Pearl said, and was shut down once again.
He continues to be day to working day.
“We will never participate in him until eventually he is completely ready,” Pearl claimed final 7 days.
Auburn will welcome him again every time he is. Cooper was great in Wednesday’s loss at Arkansas, scoring 25 points on 9-for-19 capturing, but he had to play 37 minutes. That includes all but 72 seconds of the next 50 percent with Allen Flanigan – technically the third-string position guard – in foul trouble.
Powell’s return would give the Tigers a participant capable of spelling Cooper at issue guard as properly as a harmful outside the house shooter to pair with the five-star freshman.
Josh Vitale is the Auburn conquer writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. You can abide by him on Twitter at @JoshVitale. To reach him by electronic mail, click on here.