STARKVILLE — A couple of weeks ago, Starkville High School senior linebacker David Fair walked into his Jamie Mitchell’s office for what was thought to be a season-ending meeting.
Fair, Starkville High’s leading tackler, had suffered another torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. The injury was the same one he’d suffered in 2011, and his third ACL injury overall.
“I can’t remember a kid having worse injury history in all my years of coaching,” said Mitchell, Starkville High’s football coach. “The real sad part is if he’s completely healthy he’s one of the best players in the state of Mississippi.”
Fair’s history resembles what his father, David Fair Sr., a former letterman at Mississippi State University, experienced. Fair Sr., a tailback with the Bulldogs who was an All-State performer at Starkville High, suffered the same injury and was never the same player after the surgery, even though he played two more years at MSU.
However, Fair’s meeting with Mitchell turned into a plea from player to coach.
“He said, ‘Coach, please, I want to play,’ ” Mitchell said. “The doctors have said he can’t do anymore damage to the knee by playing, and it’s something we monitor every week. However, if a kid looks me straight in the eye and says he wants to play, I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen.”
Through five games, Fair has 22 tackles, two sacks, two safeties, and a fumble recovery to lead Starkville (2-3, 1-0 Class 5A, Region 2) into its game at 7:30 tonight against Provine (3-2, 0-1) at Hughes Field in South Jackson.
Fair, who has been unable to practice throughout the week since suffering the injury at Madison Central in the second week of the season, will continue to highlight the commitment Mitchell is trying to preach to his Yellow Jackets in a season that has been filled with injuries.
Mitchell had his team huddle up last week after its 48-0 victory at Lanier and preached to them for more than 20 minutes. The talk focused on his concerns about negative energy engulfing his program after he was forced to suspend three starters for disciplinary actions.
“What David Fair is doing for this football may be the most courageous thing I’ve seen in a long time by a player,” Mitchell said. “He knows he’s not at 100 percent, but whatever he can give us each week is better than not having him. He knows that and wants to help.”
Starkville anticipates activating senior tailback Preston Baker for tonight’s game. Baker apparently suffered a broken leg or torn knee ligament three weeks ago against West Point. However, Baker suffered a severe ankle injury and, and according to Mitchell, “will be used in a limited role” against Provine.
“He can’t do everything in practice, but he’s talented enough to help us in certain situations,” Mitchell said. “We can use anything he gives us offensively.”
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