Jan. 13, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State tailback Stephfon Green (Bronx, N.Y.) underwent successful surgery today on his right ankle, which he injured in the Nittany Lions' Rose Bowl clash with Southern California.
A redshirt freshman, Green suffered a dislocated right ankle following a fourth quarter carry, according to Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, Penn State Director of Athletic Medicine. Rehabilitation will take approximately 3-4 months, according to Sebastianelli, and will keep Green out of spring practice. He suffered a similar injury to the same ankle while attending John F. Kennedy High School.
Green led Penn State in rushing yardage and receptions in the Rose Bowl. He gained 57 yards on 10 carries, including a long rush of 26 yards, against the Trojans. He also made five receptions for 67 yards, with a long of 30 yards, giving him 124 all-purpose yards, his second-highest total of the season.
Green ran for 578 yards on 105 attempts this past season for a strong 5.5 average. He was second on the team in rushing yardage and scored four touchdowns. His top rushing game was a 132-yard effort on just nine carries in the win over Temple. Green was fifth on the squad with 15 receptions for 268 yards (17.9) and one touchdown, an 80-yard catch in the 46-17 win over Michigan.
The swift and athletic Green delivered two of the Nittany Lions' three-longest plays from scrimmage this past season. His 80-yard touchdown catch in the win over the Wolverines was the longest and his 69-yard touchdown run against the Owls was third-longest. Green was third on the team with 846 all-purpose yards.
Sebastianelli also said that the injuries suffered by tailback Evan Royster (knee) and tackle Dennis Landolt (knee) in the Rose Bowl will not keep them out of spring practice.
Coach Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions (11-2) won their second Big Ten title and Bowl Championship berth in the past four years during the 2008 season. Penn State was No. 8 in the final Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls, earning its 22nd final Top 10 ranking under the Hall of Fame coach. The Lions won at least 11 games for the 14th time under Paterno.
Penn State has earned one of the nation's Top 10 records since the start of the 2005 season, posting a 40-11 (78.4) mark, good for No. 9 nationally. The Nittany Lions have won 42 of their last 53 games overall, dating to the final two games of the 2004 season.