TUSCALOOSA | University of Alabama football coach Mike Shula said Sunday that Crimson Tide quarterback John Parker Wilson would “be sore" after injuring an ankle in last Saturday’s 38-3 win over Florida International, but should be available to play against Mississippi State.

"I'm not sure how much swelling there is [in his ankle] right now," Shula said on his Sunday teleconference. “He’ll come in today and we'll take a look at him. I know he’s going to be sore today. I actually didn't think he was going to be able to go back in [Saturday]. We’ll see how he feels on Tuesday."

Wilson was injured in the second quarter of the FIU game, but returned to play two series in the third quarter before backup quarterback Jimmy Barnes took over for the rest of the game.

Wilson isn’t the only Tide player who was injured in the game, but Shula said that most of the others would be evaluated this week.

Included in that list would be wide receiver Keith Brown, who sat out for the second straight week with a knee injury; running backs Kenneth Darby and Jimmy Johns, both with minor ankle injuries; center Antoine Caldwell, also hampered by an ankle; and kick returner Javier Arenas, who came out of the FIU game with a shoulder injury.

Arenas, who met with reporters on Sunday, said he was hurt when two FIU players fell on his shoulder, but that he felt “all right" and expected to play against Mississippi State in the upcoming game.

WALLACE GILBERRY, Alabama’s junior defensive end, said a key to the Crimson Tide’s 17-0 win over Mississippi State in 2005 was the Tide’s ability to pressure Michael Henig, the MSU quarterback.

Henig, who had just taken over the starting role for MSU, was sacked twice in the game and was pressured several other times as he completed just nine of 28 passes for 78 yards and threw three interceptions.

“We hit him a lot last year," Gilberry said. “I remember Mark Anderson got him once, and I think Bobby Greenwood got another.

“But last year is last year. (Henig) has been banged up some this year, but now it looks like his feet are under him and he is ready to go."

Henig threw for a career-high 384 yards in MSU’s 34-31 loss to Kentuck last Saturday, completing 22 of 41 passes. Wide receiver Tony Burks, a junior-college transfer, of the Bulldogs also had a career game with seven catches for 192 yards and two touchdowns.

“We know they are dangerous," Gilberry said. “Any team in the SEC is dangerous. Mississippi State is the kind of team that can jump up and bite you if you aren’t ready."

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK in the Crimson Tide’s win over Florida International, as selected by the UA coaching staff, were running back Kenneth Darby (offense), linebacker Juwan Simpson (defense) and return specialist Javier Arenas (special teams).

Reach Cecil Hurt at cecil.hurt@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0225.