Troy’s Lee returns less than one week after surgery

TROY — Troy head coach Larry Blakeney was giddy that he could keep a secret from the media, but even happier that one of his star linebackers could play in Saturday’s 47-21 win over Florida Atlantic Saturday.

Boris Lee, a senior who has started for four years and leads Troy with 83 tackles, had arthroscopic surgery last Monday on his left knee and returned to play. He had a key early sack and finished with three tackles, giving way to sophomore Xavier Lamb for most of the game.

“Y’all know Boris had surgery,” Blakeney said. “See, I’m breakin’ all kind of (stuff) out here. He actually felt better when he got back from surgery than he did at any time in the past couple of weeks before surgery. These guys are amazing.”

Blakeney mentioned a running back in the past having the same type of surgery and returning six days later. Last year, receiver Jerrel Jernigan returned 10 days after the same type of surgery.

Lee said his knee felt about 85 to 90 percent during the game. He didn’t practice last week, but did on Monday.

“It’s still got a certain stiffness to it, but it felt so much better,” Lee said. “I didn’t play much because they didn’t want to risk anything since it’s off the wall for me to play. I had my mind made up that I was not going to miss that game.”

The injury opened up the door for Lamb, who is projected to start at that spot for the next two years. Lamb was third on the team with nine tackles in the game.

“We think he’s going to be a heck of a football player to replace Boris, which is large shoes to fill around here,” defensive coordinator Jeremy Rowell said. “Any little bit of experience when the bullets are live in a game and not in the latter stages of the game is a little bit different.

“He’s confident, and to play that position, you’ve got to be.”

Middle linebacker is like the quarterback of the defense. The defense gets the signal, and the middle linebacker gets everyone set and makes the call to the defense of what the offensive formation is in.

Lamb and Lee have different personalities. As an accomplished senior and one of the best players in the league and an NFL prospect, Lee carries around a swagger. Lamb is more laid-back, but gets loud on the field.

“On the field, I’ve got to be crazy,” Lamb said.

Senior Bear Woods lined up next to Lamb and could have taken on Lamb’s responsibilities of making the calls, but didn’t have to.

“He played a great game and that got me excited for next year,” Woods said.

Lamb and sophomore Donnell Golden, who go by the moniker “X-Man and D-Man,” are likely to replace Lee and Woods after this season.

Lee goes by the nickname “Living Legend” and has the word “Legend” on the back of his car.

“A lot of people are probably worried about who’s going to step up in that spot and Boris is telling me that when he leaves, he’s got to pass on the legend to somebody else, so I’m going to work hard to keep that,” Lamb said.