Columbia, Mo. ? Quarterback Blaine Gabbert will start for No. 21 Missouri when the Tigers travel to Texas A&M on Saturday.
Gabbert suffered what is being called a high right hip pointer early in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 26-0 victory over Colorado. He was removed from the game after the injury but remained on the sideline with a taped midsection.
“There was a certain point in time where I couldn’t really move,” Gabbert said Monday. “It was definitely a tough decision, but it was the right one for me not to finish the game.”
Coach Gary Pinkel said Gabbert will return to the practice field today and take part in all team activities. The main concern is the amount of torque Gabbert is able to generate through his hips when going through his throwing motion.
Pinkel was unsure whether Gabbert’s throws in practice would be limited this week.
“It’s about pain tolerance,” Pinkel said. “He has to be honest with us on how he feels. We can tell if he’s a bit off with his throws, so we’ll keep our eye on that.”
There seems to be no doubt in the junior quarterback’s mind about his ability to fully participate in preparations for Missouri’s first game outside its home state this season.
“It’s just a nagging deal, I’m good to go,” he said, then jokingly suggested the injury had actually made him better: “If I had to put a percentage on how I feel right now, I would say I’m at 109 percent.”
Gabbert has not missed a game since taking over as the starter at the beginning of last season.
