Baylor defensive end Jamal Palmer out for season with torn ACL
Baylor will be without a starting defensive lineman for the rest of the season.
The program announced Sunday that junior defensive end Jamal Palmer has a torn ACL in his left knee and won’t return to action this season for the fifth-ranked Bears.
The injury occurred in Saturday’s 28-7 road win over Texas – a win that improved the team’s record to 5-0.
The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Palmer started all five games for the Bears this season, picking up 14 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks playing opposite Shawn Oakman on a defense that has allowed just 12.4 points per game (against mostly poor competition).
Though he did not start a game until this season, Palmer saw extensive action as a backup for the Bears in his first two seasons with the program. In 2013, he registered 38 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, five sacks, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries while appearing in all 13 games. As a true freshman in 2012, Palmer saw action in eight games and made four tackles.
With Palmer out, the Bears will likely look to Javonte Magee and K.J. Smith to fill the void on the defensive line. Magee, a 6-foot-5, 280-pound sophomore, has played both tackle and end so far this season, making six tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack so far this year. Smith, a 6-foot-2, 255-pound redshirt freshman, has 11 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in four games this season.
Baylor will play its first home game in more than a month Saturday afternoon when it welcomes No. 9 TCU to McLane Stadium.
For more Baylor news, visit SicEmSports.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
