The Ole Miss Rebels are dealing with a notable injury in their secondary ahead of Saturday's SEC matchup with the Missouri Tigers in Oxford.
Ole Miss defensive back Edwin Joseph suffered an ankle injury in last week's blowout win over Vanderbilt. His status remained unclear in the days after the game.
But now, there's serious doubt about his availability over the next few weeks.
Joseph underwent ankle surgery to address the injury, Ole Miss on SI confirmed. There isn't a timetable for his return at this point but it almost certainly rules him out for the Mizzou game. The initial SEC injury report on Wednesday evening will shed light on his official status.
Ole Miss safety Edwin Joseph during a fall camp practice in Oxford. | Ole Miss Athletics
Joseph shared pictures on social media after surgery with two thumbs up.
A transfer from Florida State, Joseph is in his first year with the Rebels, making it unfortunate to see him dealing with an injury that required midseason surgery.
Through five games so far this season, Joseph has tallied 18 total tackles (11 solo) and one pass defended. The Ole Miss secondary has had its issues but Joseph has been one of the better players in the back end of Pete Golding's defense.
Golding told reporters earlier this week that Joseph would be getting a second opinion on his ankle.
As it turns out, it appears that second opinion resulted in the surgery. Joseph was in Birmingham, AL on Tuesday, potentially where he spoke with doctors.
"My only concern from Saturday, from an injury standpoint, would be Edwin," Golding said. "It is an ankle. Got diagnosed yesterday with an ankle sprain. We're going to get another opinion on that tomorrow. We'll manage it throughout the week."
Joseph's looming absence, regardless of how long, is the last thing the Ole Miss defense needs as it looks to get the secondary fixed before heading deeper into SEC play.
The test starts on Saturday against Missouri, which boasts an impressive passing attack led by two former Rebels with quarterback Austin Simmons and wide receiver Cayden Lee.
Missouri's offensive identity is predicated on running the football with Jamal Roberts, but the game could be decided by how the secondary fares against what feels like one of the more surprising passing games in the SEC this season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/olemiss as Ole Miss Corner Edwin Joseph Undergoes Surgery After Injury .
