It was painful enough for sophomore tailback/cornerback Tyrell Dortch to have his leg reset on the field Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.
But Dortch, who sustained multiple fractures in his right leg while defending a pass in MSU’s 42-28 win over Wisconsin, has had to undergo two more surgeries since then. Doctors inserted a plate into his leg Saturday and had to relieve swelling in Dortch’s leg Sunday.
The 5-foot-10, 193-pound Dortch is in fair condition after the latest surgery, University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics spokesman Tim Lemonds said.
“Tyrell did have a second surgery yesterday to stabilize that fracture,” Associate Athletics Director John Lewandowski said Monday. “Due to the swelling and trauma, Tyrell will be immobilized through the week. We still don’t have a return date for him, so he will remain in Madison through the rest of the week.”
Herb Ross, the team’s head orthopedic surgeon, said Dortch will be out six to nine months.
“Right now, football is not a high priority, he’s still uncomfortable,” Ross said.
MSU head coach Bobby Williams said Dortch has plenty of support from people who stayed behind in Madison while his teammates returned to East Lansing.
“His mother is there - she came in (Sunday),” Williams said. “Several of the players’ family members stayed back and stayed with him, and we have a couple of our staff there with him, too.”
Dortch’s injury forces further shuffling of an ever-depleting secondary heading into Saturday’s rivalry showdown with No. 6 Michigan. He was moved from tailback to cornerback for the Iowa game on Oct. 13 after both starting cornerbacks broke ankles in practice.
“(Dortch’s) loss really leaves us as having big concerns in our defensive secondary,” Williams said. “We’re going to have to look at the possibility of making some personnel moves to try to fill that slot.
“We’re going to continue to look at and evaluate our personnel and come up with some solutions to our depth problem.”
For now, Williams said the lineup will be the same as it was after Dortch went down Saturday. Senior Duron Bryan, who played cornerback briefly after senior corner DeMario Suggs and freshman corner Jason Harmon suffered broken ankles, will move back to cornerback for Saturday.
Freshman Robert Flagg will share time with senior Lorenzo Guess at strong safety. Redshirt freshman safety Roderick Maples, who was moved from wide receiver to the secondary before the Iowa game, and freshman cornerback Damien Fortson will also be in the defensive back rotation, Williams said.
And the fact MSU is playing U-M this week makes things especially tough, Williams said.
“It’s been very difficult as we get the secondary ready to face an outstanding Michigan passing attack,” he said. “(U-M quarterback) John Navarre is throwing the ball extremely well, (U-M receiver) Marquise Walker is probably having the finest season that he has had (in his) career.”
Flagg, however, is confident.
“The transition (into the lineup) isn’t that hard because in the (Iowa) game, I stepped up after Suggsy and Harmon went down and I helped the team,” Flagg said. “I appreciate the coaches believing in me and giving me a chance to show what I can do.”
