AUBURN | Marlon Davidson says he's already used to playing with a big brace on his left elbow.

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That's a good thing. The brace won't be put away anytime soon.

The Tigers' defensive end said Wednesday that he sprained the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow during spring practice and that four months of rehabilitation hasn't yielded full, painless flexion. He said surgery never was discussed.

"Whatever my trainers tell me to do, I'm going to do it," Davidson said. "If there's something to protect me and have me healthy during the season I'm going to do it."

Though defensive linemen use their arms all the time and place significant torque on all upper-body joints through the course of a single snap, Davidson says his injury isn't particularly painful these days. The brace prevents Davidson's elbow from bending in ways that could trigger a relapse.

He still has full use of his hands. And that, Davidson said, is all that matters.

“(The brace) limits me some, but it’s nothing I can’t overcome," he said. "I’m going to keep that on the rest of the season to protect myself. Make sure this year — I get by.”