Tago Smith, who ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more vs. Texas State in his first career start, said “it’s not difficult at all” to resume his role backing up Keenan Reynolds. (Eric Gay/Associated Press)

After missing the first game of his career in college, high school or otherwise, Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds practiced this week with no visible signs of discomfort from a knee injury that kept him out of Saturday’s 35-21 victory over Texas State.

Coach Ken Niumatalolo indicated he and his staff are proceeding as if the junior will be on the field this weekend against Rutgers at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, and Reynolds said he was planning on being back in the starting lineup in the Midshipmen’s first true home game of the season. (Navy opened the season Aug. 30 as the home team in a 35-17 loss to Ohio State at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.)

“I thought [Reynolds] looked good,” Niumatalolo said after practice Tuesday night. “Try not to push it too much, but he pretty much did everything. Just really careful with him.”

That Reynolds was able to participate in drills underscores his substantial progress from a week ago, when he was held out of practice Monday through Wednesday. The Midshipmen conducted a closed practice Thursday and a walk-through Friday in San Marcos, Tex., at which time Reynolds, according to Niumatalolo, indicated his knee did not feel stable enough to play.

Sophomore backup Tago Smith made the first start of his career in place of Reynolds. The converted slotback, who had not played quarterback at any level until coming to Navy, passed for two touchdowns and ran for two others on the way to 202 yards of total offense in the second straight win for the Midshipmen.

Smith made the switch to quarterback last year in the week leading up to Navy’s 45-44 loss in double overtime to Toledo on Oct 19. John Hendrick had been the regular backup until a knee injury ended his season. Smith played in four games last year, including the Armed Forces Bowl when the Midshipmen dispatched Middle Tennessee, 24-6, in Fort Worth.

“It’s not difficult at all,” Smith said of resuming his role as a backup. “We’re competitors, but at the end of the day, we’ve got one goal, and that’s to win games. I have no problem with it.”

Smith was at the Naval Academy Prep School in 2012 when Reynolds came off the bench in the fourth quarter to rally the Midshipmen to a 28-21 overtime win against Air Force. It was the first of many signature performances for Reynolds, who has been the undisputed starter ever since and was among Smith’s most fervent supporters while watching from the sideline this past Saturday.

“Super proud,” Reynolds said of Smith. “He came in and played like a veteran. First start, hostile environment. I mean he balled out. [Offensive coordinator Ivin] Jasper always says, ‘You’re one play away,’ and he got his shot, and he did great.”

Reynolds, meantime, has been wearing a brace to stabilize his knee, and Niumatalolo said he probably would keep it on during games. Navy’s career No. 2 touchdown leader has played through a host of ailments during his two-plus years as a starter, including not practicing until the day before last year’s opener against Indiana but rushing for 127 yards in a 41-35 win.

Two weeks ago against Temple, Reynolds was hurt late in the fourth quarter midway through Navy’s final drive when the back of his knee absorbed a blow from linebacker Tyler Matakevich’s helmet. Smith entered the game while Reynolds was receiving treatment on the training table and directed the Midshipmen to one more first down before the drive ended in a missed field goal.

“It was important for us to go out and get a win with” Smith, Jasper said. “Our team’s confidence now, it should go through the roof. Whether that happens or not, it just depends on our players, just the belief that we’ve got two good QBs that can win a game for us.”