Rhoads confirms true freshman Warren had shoulder surgery

AMES — ISU coach Paul Rhoads confirmed Tuesday that true freshman running back Mike Warren underwent successful shoulder surgery a day earlier. 

 “Minor — it wasn’t to the extent that they were fearful of,” Rhoads said of the damage that led to the surgery being performed. “Still will put him on the shelf for a while and he’ll be back full strength by spring.”

 Rhoads said Warren’s shoulder issues arose before his arrival in Ames.

 Warren was slated to redshirt even before the procedure became necessary.

 “Nothing on the field,” Rhoads said. “They had to go in and clean up some things that were causing problems since he’d been here.”

 Warren, a 6-0, 188-pounder from Lawton, Okla., tweeted this Monday evening: “Out of surgery. Just waiting to get the feeling back in my arm.”

 Tuesday, he tweeted: “Day one of the struggle begins.”

 Rhoads said Warren’s need for surgery had nothing to do with the decision to play fellow true freshman Martinez Syria in Saturday’s 49-28 loss to Baylor. 

 “The decision with Martinez was all body-type based,” Rhoads said. “We didn’t think at the time that Mike needed surgery either. We thought we were going to be able to get him through it. So completely non-connected.”