Missouri State linebacker Hieko Malone is officially out for the entire season, a brutal blow coming right after the team’s defense was absolutely torched in a 50-0 blanking by No. 8 Texas A&M this past Saturday.
Malone’s Season Ends Before It Barely Began
Head coach Casey Woods dropped the bombshell news on Monday, confirming that Malone sustained his season-ending injury on the very first drive of that opener against the Aggies. Talk about a gut punch. Woods didn’t mince words, saying, “Any time you play an SEC team, you come out banged up.” He added, “One significant injury, Heiko Malone, he’ll be a guy out for the season. Our prayers are certainly with him, as he gets himself well for next year.” Losing a starter, especially a linebacker, this early is a massive problem when you’re trying to bounce back from a rough start.
More Defensive Headaches Emerge
As if Malone’s injury wasn’t enough, the Bears’ defense looked like a MASH unit against Texas A&M. Woods also revealed that four other defensive starters went down during the game. Defensive linemen Tim Brantley Jr. and Gilles Tchio both had to exit the field, while corner Joel Kpassou and linebacker Jared Lloyd were in and out of the lineup. Thankfully, Woods anticipates all four of those guys will be back for the next game. Still, it’s not a great sign when a huge chunk of your starting defense is banged up right out of the gate.
The Bears, now sitting at 0-1, need to figure things out fast. They’re set to face Lindenwood this coming Saturday, September 12. With Malone gone for good and a host of other guys trying to heal up, the defense faces a huge challenge to turn things around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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