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Welp.
Sophomore wide receiver Mikey Dudek will miss the 2016 football season with a torn ACL in his left knee. It's the same ligament in the same knee that caused Dudek to miss the 2015 campaign. The injury was announced ironically on the same day he suffered it a year ago.
Mikey Dudek tore ACL, same knee as last year, will have season-ending surgery next week. Will miss 2016 season
— Matt Daniels (@mdaniels_NG) April 8, 2016
He was held out of practice this week with a reported knee injury, and initially head coach Lovie Smith made no comment or acknowledgement of Dudek's condition. Smith summed it up best when the injury was announced Friday: "Sometimes the game can be cruel," he said.
Dudek had spent the year rehabilitating the knee to be in a position to follow up a promising 2014 freshman season in which he had 76 catches for 1038 yards and six touchdowns. He figured to be a major component of a wide receiving corps that lost Geronimo Allison to graduation, in new offensive coordinator Garrick McGee's scheme.
Dudek himself is reportedly in "high spirits" in the wake of the news, Big Ten Network's Taylor Rooks reported.
Spoke with Dudek and he is in high spirits. Gets surgery April 12 & plans/hopes to attend the Spring Game April 16 supporting his team.
— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) April 9, 2016
Rooks also reported that Dudek will meet with Dr. James Andrews on Monday with surgery expected Tuesday.