Penn State linebacker Sean Lee to miss season due to knee injury

The 2008 season for senior Sean Lee - who figured to be the next All-America linebacker off the Penn State assembly line at the school's marquee position - ended before it began when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during practice on Friday, 8 days before the Blue-White spring game.

According to Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, Penn State's director of athletic medicine, Lee will have surgery within the next 2 to 4 weeks and rehabilitation will take approximately 9 months.

Lee played as a true freshman in 2005, so he has a redshirt year available in 2009 if he so chooses.

"I have a responsibility to the team to help do everything I can this year in what might be a non-conventional way," Lee said in a statement released by Jeff Nelson, Penn State's assistant athletic director for communications. "I have to turn this into ...