It’s getting to be old hat for Sterling Moore. While practicing with his teammates three days before the SMU Mustangs took on Navy in Annapolis, Moore lay on the field in pain. For the third time in two years at SMU, his left kneecap had popped out of place.

Senior cornerback Sterling Moore is hoping to return from his latest knee injury in time for Senior Day next week against Marshall (photo by David Mojica).

It happened twice before for the senior cornerback from Oakland, Calif. When it happened last year, he surprised teammates and coaches by making back to the field in time to play in SMU’s 45-10 rout of Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl. After crumpling to the ground in SMU’s victory over UAB this year, he opted against surgery again and returned in time to play against TCU.

This time, he said, the injury was different.

“When it popped out before, they got it to pop back in,” he said. “This time, it popped out and stayed out.”

The previous times, the swelling in the joint went down relatively quickly after the kneecap was put back in place. He was able to resume running and working out shortly thereafter, and each time was able to return to the field.

“It was about two-and-a-half weeks before the swelling really went down,” Moore said. “Then it was a matter of getting my range of motion back, before I started to walk semi-normal again.”

Moore began a regimen that included that has included light running and extensive rehab work with the Mustangs’ strength and conditioning staff. The strength in his leg is not back at the level he would like, but he said he feels it improving continuously.

“I can backpedal a little — I’d say about 60 percent — but I’ve got to be able to break out of that backpedal,” Moore said. “I haven’t jumped yet, either. That’s what I think might hurt, being able to break down and jump, and then the impact when I land. That will probably hurt … but I’m not going to let that stop me.”

Whether Moore is cleared to return to the field is not Moore’s decision; that, of course, falls to the team’s medical staff and coaches. But when asked if he thinks he’ll be able to play against Marshall, Moore was optimistic.

“I’d say there’s maybe an 85 or 90 percent chance I’ll be ready,” he said.

Moore acknowledged that his return to the field likely will be accompanied by some fear of reinjuring the leg.

Sterling Moore is working to come back from his third knee injury in two seasons at SMU (photo by David Mojica).

“That’s always going to be there, until I get it fixed, which I’m going to do after the season,” he said. “But what I was told was, ‘you can’t mess it up any worse.’ If that’s the case, there’s no reason I shouldn’t play. There might be some pain or some swelling, but I’m not going to damage it any more.”

When Moore was injured last year, most thought his junior season was over. The fact that he was able to work his way through the rehab process in time to play with his teammates in the Hawaii Bowl has boosted his confidence that he can make another speedy recovery.

“That definitely motivates me, and lets me know I can come back this time,” Moore said. “The rehab is hard work, but I did it before. I can do it again.

“For a while, I contemplated getting the surgery done now, but this is my last year at SMU. I don’t want to regret not being able to play. We need these next two games. I’m going to try to go out there and play, and help us get to the postseason.”

Not surprisingly, Moore said he initially was encouraged by his family to have the surgery to repair his knee.

“My mom wanted me to get it fixed after it happened,” he said. “But she played sports — softball and volleyball — so she understands why I want to play. After we thought about it, she encouraged me to give it one more shot.”

Moore said he likely will wear a brace on his knee when he returns to the field.

When he does return to the field, whether it’s against Marshall, East Carolina or in the postseason, Moore said he doesn’t really anticipate pregame jitters.

“Usually, for the first couple of plays, I get a little nervous,” he said. “But when I see that my knee can do what I tell it to do, I’ll be fine. At that point, I can just go out there and play.”