In hindsight, the injury to Kyle Padron’s left ankle at the end of the season was more serious than most realized, but the Mustangs’ sophomore quarterback learned this week that he will not have to undergo surgery this spring.

Padron was hurt in the Ponies’ 45-38 victory Nov. 26 at East Carolina.

Kyle Padron said he will be ready to participate in spring workouts after learning he will not have to undergo offseason surgery (photo by Travis Johnston).

“I remember I threw the ball to Al (Aldrick Robinson) on a double move, and one of their defensive linemen fell into (the outside of) my ankle,” Padron said. “He hit me a few inches above the ankle, and it sort of collapsed in.”

Padron finished the game. A week later, he played in the Conference USA Championship after getting a pain-killing shot in his ankle, but admitted that while the medicine eliminated much of the discomfort, he wasn’t able to move as well as he did with a healthy ankle. With more than three weeks off before the Ponies’ next game, Padron was able to rest the ankle and play in the Armed Forces Bowl.

When he and his teammates began their offseason conditioning program, the ankle began to hurt again and swelled during workouts. As it turned out, Padron had a tear in the joint capsule in his left ankle.

“That’s the reason for the swelling,” he said, “but the good news is that there’s no ligament damage or anything like that.”

Padron discussed his options with team doctors, who recommended against undergoing surgery.

“I didn’t want surgery all along,” Padron said. “When I got the MRI and they said I didn’t have to have surgery, that was a big relief. I might have to get something done after the season, but not I’ll be ready to play.”

Padron been working out with his teammates this spring, taking part in a program that includes several drills that apply stress to the ankle, including running, jumping, agility drills and working with weights. He pulled himself out of some drills last week, but not this week.

“I have gone through full workouts this week,” Padron said. “The jumping and running stadium stairs — with the pounding, the impact — and the side-to-side agility drills were a little tough. I backed off a little last week, but I did everything today. I was able to do the stairs today. The jumps — I still kind of struggled, but I’m getting better.”

Most importantly, Padron said he expects to be ready to participate fully when the Mustangs open spring workouts April 4.

“It’s getting better already,” he said. “By spring, I should be fine. Once we get to actual football workouts, I should be good. In practice, it’s a lot of ‘drop left, drop right.’ If there’s a lot of pain and swelling, I’ll back off, but they say I’ll be fine, and it’s getting better already.

“I’m being careful, being cautious with it. As long as we’re smart about it, I think I’ll be fine.”