Former MSU RB Ballard Out for Year with ACL Injury

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WCBI/USA Today) — The Indianapolis Colts have lost starting running back Vick Ballard for the rest of the season with a torn ACL in his right knee.

(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Former MSU/MGCCC running back Vick Ballard has suffered a torn ACL in practice with the Indianapolis Colts and will be out for the season.

Coach Chuck Pagano said Ballard suffered a freak accident at practice. It was a non-contact injury. “We feel awful for Vick,” Pagano said. “We’ll deal with it. No one handles adversity like us.”

Ballard has been placed on the injured reserve list. Pagano said. With Ballard out, Ahmad Bradshaw and Donald Brown will have to split the workload. The Colts also plan to activate Kerwynn Williams from the practice squad, Pagano said.

“We tell players all the time ‘You’re one play away’,” Pagano said. “You never know what’s going to happen.”

Ballard led the Colts in rushing as a rookie with 814 yards, and had a team-high 63 yards on 13 carries in the season-opening win over Oakland.

The former Mississippi State Bulldog rushed for over 2,000 yards in his career in Starkville. He began his career playing for Mississippi Gulf Coast CC and was named a first team NJCAA All-American.