Sports Shorts

By Mike Bushnell

Published Oct. 2, 2007

Alexander to return from injury

Sophomore wide receiver Donario Alexander will return for Saturday's game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers after suffering a fractured wrist on Sept. 1 against Illinois.

Coach Gary Pinkel said yesterday that Alexander was cleared this weekend after getting repetitions during practice last week.

Pinkel said Alexander will still wear a cast this week, which he called a "bionic arm," but that he wouldn't be playing if he wasn't fit enough.

"If we thought he was going to go out and drop the ball, he wouldn't play," he said. "He caught the ball well, which says a lot about him and his focus."

Alexander shined during two-a-days in August and started the Illinois game. He had nine catches for 82 yards, and he suffered the injury after being tackled following his final catch.

"I just fell on the wrist," he said. "But I'm not sore at all now. Actually my return couldn't come at a better time, because it is the start of Big 12 play."

Pinkel gives Wolfert vote of confidence

Pinkel said Monday that junior place kicker Jeff Wolfert will remain the starter for the immediate future despite struggling this year. Wolfert is just five-for-nine this season on kicks, leading to rumors that he might lose his job to senior Adam Crossett. Wolfert took the kicking job from Crossett before last season.

"I believe in him," Pinkel said of Wolfert. "I expect him to do well. He's good, and I don't see it necessary at this point to open that position up to competition, not at this point in the season."

Wolfert said he was happy with the faith Pinkel has put in him.

"It's nice to know coach believes in me," he said. "I feel confident in myself still."

Stull back on roster, Moye uncertain

Following his arrest for assault and a one-game suspension, freshman defensive end John Stull is back on the depth chart, at backup behind Stryker Sulak. Freshman safety Gilbert Moye was also arrested last week on third-degree assault charges for punching his South Hall roommate in the face, according to MU Police Department Capt. Brian Weimer in a previous Maneater report. Pinkel said he will decide later in the week what to do with him.

"He had a death in the family this weekend, so he was gone and we haven't talked to him," Pinkel said. "I will deal with him personally and then internally."

Senior tight end Martin Rucker talked about the three Tigers who have been arrested in the last few weeks, which included freshman Steve Redmond, who was cited for throwing a "nuisance party."

"With Steve, I look at that like a parking ticket," Rucker said. "As for the other two guys, it's a mistake they made. They're college kids."

MU-OU game to be played at 5:30 p.m.

MU's Oct. 13 game at No. 10 Oklahoma will be played at 5:30 p.m. on Fox Sports Net. It seemed headed for the 2:30 p.m. game on ABC, but they chose the Texas Tech-Texas A&M game instead. Oklahoma lost last weekend to the Colorado Buffaloes, 27-24.