It’s thumbs up for Jaguars quarterback Lee

• By PERRYN KEYS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 12, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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The most important thumb in the Southwestern Athletic Conference had a chance to get better.

The thumb belongs to Bryant Lee, the starting quarterback at Southern University and the league’s leading passer.

It’s on his right hand, and it’s been bugging him for a month, if not longer.

Since the Jaguars (5-4, 4-1) had a bye last week, Lee had a chance to fix it. He, his thumb and the rest of the team should be rested and ready when they face Alabama State (2-7, 2-4) at 6 p.m. Saturday in Mobile, Ala., at the Gulf Coast Classic.

“It’s 100 percent now,” Lee said of the Jaguars’ most famous digit.

“Before, it hurt. I could feel it. Now I don’t really feel anything.”

Lee broke the same thumb — it’s on his throwing hand — during last season’s Bayou Classic. He underwent offseason surgery and had a pin placed inside the thumb. The pin was later removed.

But Lee has felt pain in the same thumb since at least last month. Problems surfaced before the Jaguars’ 52-49 loss to Florida A&M; after that, he showed up with the right thumb heavily wrapped.

Lee took a helmet to his right hand sometime during the first half of Southern’s most recent game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Since then, Southern has enjoyed an open week, and the thumb has enjoyed some rest.

“I think (the rest) did help him,” SU coach Pete Richardson said. “The thumb problem that he had — I think he got it hit in the game. I think it really affected his velocity and accuracy. With the time off and treatments, hopefully he’ll be able to come back strong.”