The injuries just keep getting worse for the football team, and the series may have hit its peak Monday when coach Tom O’Brien announced starting quarterback Russell Wilson and star linebacker Nate Irving are out for Saturday’s game against No. 13 South Florida.
O’Brien declined to discuss the extent and location of the injuries, saying he had until Thursday to do so. But Wilson was seen on campus Monday with a sling holding up his right arm. Irving left last Saturday’s game against East Carolina with an apparent leg injury.
The injuries cannot be underestimated for the Pack. Irving leads the team in tackles and the entire conference in interceptions. The ACC named him the defensive back of the week three weeks ago.
Wilson was named the conference offensive back of the week after his coming-out party against ECU, where he went 21-for-31 with 210 yards, three touchdowns and no turnovers.
“I have no idea how long they’re going to be,” O’Brien said of the two injuries, noting that both are marked as out indefinitely for now.
Injuries in general are nothing new for this year’s team. Every Monday seems to bring news of another starter listed on the injury list.
“We’ve been dealing with it all year,” O’Brien said. “You’ve got nine or 10 starters who aren’t playing on this football team and it’s consistently been that way. When you look at the schedule we’ve played, it’s amazing that we’ve played the way we have.”
In place of Irving, true freshman Dwayne Maddox will get the start. The highly-touted recruit had two tackles against ECU. Redshirt junior Harrison Beck will get the start at quarterback against South Florida. Beck went 3-for-8 passing against ECU, throwing one interception and losing a fumble.
“[Beck] can wing it around,” O’Brien said. “We just have to tell him that weíre wearing the red jerseys on Saturday night and weíll be in good shape.”
Brown leading team in tough times
Players at Monday’s press conference raved about senior running back Andre Brown’s leadership ability and the ways he rallied the team during the week leading up to the win over ECU.
Brown, who passed the 2,000 career rushing yards mark Saturday, led the Pack in rushing with 73 yards and the game-winning touchdown in overtime. He ranks fifth in the ACC in rushing.
“Most running backs are quiet and to themselves, but in practice [Brown] just screams like a mad man,” linebacker Ray Michel said. “He really showed leadership last week and throughout the game.”
And on an offense with a lot of young talent, a steady senior is needed as a rock.
“He had a lot of energy throughout the whole week,” receiver Jarvis Williams said. “It ended up that all his hard work and enthusiasm he gave to the team paid off on Saturday.”
Joining Brown in the backfield Saturday was Jamelle Eugene — last year’s starter who sat out the first three games with a foot injury. Eugene had 25 yards rushing and had seven catches for 50 yards.
“He can’t be ready to play yet after sitting out a month and practicing three days,” O’Brien said. “He’s still working his way back to shape to be the Jamelle we saw a year ago and it might take another week or two.”
