Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse wide receiver Jackson Meeks will undergo surgery this week to repair a hairline fracture in his foot and will miss the rest of SU’s spring football practices.
Syracuse coach Fran Brown shared the plan for Meeks on Tuesday after the wide receiver attended practice in a walking boot. During the period of practice that was open to reporters, Meeks rode an exercise bike.
“He’s got to go get surgery,” Brown said. “He has a hairline fracture. He’ll be out four weeks. He kept trying to practice and kept saying, ‘I’m good, Coach, I’m good.’ I said, ‘Let’s get an MRI.’ They found something in it.”
Meeks, a transfer from Georgia, was one of two critical players whose practice status had changed on Tuesday, joining tight end Oronde Gadsden II. Gadsden had screws removed from his foot following surgery to repair a Lisfranc injury and joined Meeks on the exercise bike. He will also be out for the rest of the spring.
Brown said Meeks first suffered the injury last year and played through it during Georgia’s season.
“Last season he was playing on it,” Brown said. “He got treatment for a whole year. He’s had a break in his foot for a while and played on it. He’ll get surgery today just so he’ll be ready for summer workouts.”
Brown said they agreed to have the surgery now so that Meeks would be healthy for the team’s summer conditioning program. The coach said improving the team’s mental and physical toughness continues to be a major emphasis this offseason.
He said that Tuesday’s practice was the first in the spring where the team worked at a high enough tempo that they got through all of the plays he hoped to run.
“(Meeks) wanted to finish spring,” Brown said. “Nah, we’re not finishing spring. Get it done now so he can be back for summer workouts and keep working on that mental and physical toughness.”
Meeks played in 12 games for Georgia last season, making one catch for 23 yards.
He was brought…
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