Injuries to Watch – Week 11
Published on Thursday, 11/7/13, at 8:37 a.m. Eastern.
By Brian Edwards
Stanford won’t have DE Ben Gardner for the rest of the season, but at least it is getting another 2012 All Pac-12 selection back in the lineup. DE Henry Anderson is ‘probable’ vs. Oregon after missing several games with a leg injury.
Troy uses a two-QB system with Deon Anthony used in running situations. Anthony has rushed for 392 yards and three TDs while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Anthony, who also has three TD passes without an interception, is ‘doubtful’ Thursday at UL-Lafayette after spraining his ankle in a 49-37 loss to ULM last week. Corey Robinson (18/8 touchdown-to-interception ratio) will get all the snaps for the Trojans.
Wisconsin WR Jared Abbrederis has been upgraded to ‘probable’ vs. BYU after sustaining a chest injury on a touchdown catch in Saturday’s 28-9 win at Iowa. The Badgers will also get back two-time All Big Ten linebacker Chris Borland, who has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury.
Iowa QB Jake Rudock left the Wisconsin loss in the second half with a knee injury, but he’s good to go and will start at Purdue. Rudock has a 12/9 TD-INT ratio.
The status of Mississippi St. QB Dak Prescott is unknown for Saturday’s game at Mississippi St. Prescott’s mother lost her battle with colon cancer earlier this week and he has left the team to be with his family. If Prescott doesn’t make the trip to College Station, Tyler Russell will get the starting nod. Russell was the starter for the Bulldogs in 2012 when he threw 24 touchdown passes. He lost his job to Prescott after suffering a concussion in a season-opening loss to Oklahoma St.
As of Wednesday, there were conflicting reports on the status of Arkansas freshman RB Alex Collins, who suffered an undisclosed injury in a 35-17 loss to Auburn. Collins has rushed for 889 yards and four TDs. If he can’t go at Ole Miss, Johnathan Williams will get the bulk of the carries and that’s not a bad thing. Williams has run for 716 yards and four TDs while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Arky QB Brandon Allen is ‘probable’ (leg). Allen has a 9/7 touchdown-to-interception ratio for the Hogs, who have lost six consecutive games and are in the midst of an atrocious 1-7 against-the-spread slide.
Ole Miss is coming off a much-needed open date. RB Jeff Scott is set to return after missing back-to-back games. Scott is the Rebels’ leading rusher with an 8.2 YPC average. Also, DE Robert Nkemdiche (hamstring) and DT Carlos Thompson are expected to return to the lineup. Nkemdiche, the nation’s No. 1 recruit coming out of high school last season, has missed the last two games. Starting center Evan Swindall (eye) is listed as ‘questionable.’
Miami RB Duke Johnson broke is ankle in Saturday’s 41-14 loss at FSU and will miss the rest of the season. Johnson rushed for a team-high 920 yards and six TDs in 2013.
Wake Forest senior WR Michael Campanaro has played his last game for the Demon Deacons. Campanaro suffered a broken collarbone in a 13-0 loss at Syracuse. He had 67 receptions for 803 yards and six TDs as a senior. Campanaro finishes his career at Wake Forest as the third-leading receiver in school history, behind only Ricky Proehl and Desmond Clark.
The status of Missouri QB James Franklin for Saturday’s game at Kentucky will be determined on Thursday or Friday. Franklin, who separated his shoulder in a 41-26 win at Georgia on Oct. 12, is practicing this week and was in uniform for last week’s 31-3 home win over Tennessee. Franklin reportedly looked sharp in warm-ups before the UT game. Tigers’ senior CB E.J. Gaines returned against the Vols and made his fourth interception of the season. Gaines, who had missed the two previous games, is tied for the SEC lead in interceptions.
Florida has lost a sixth starter and ninth player to a season-ending injury. OT Tyler Moore broke his elbow in a scooter accident Tuesday. This means UF will be without its top three OTs vs. Vandy. Chaz Green is out for the season and D.J. Humphries remains out for at least one more game.
Vandy QB Austyn Carta-Samuels remains out with a leg injury and Patton Robinette will make his second career start for the Commodores. On the bright side, the ‘Dores are going to get senior LB Chase Garnham back for the first time since he went down with a lower-body injury in a season-opening loss to Ole Miss. Garnham was Vandy’s second-leading tackler in 2012 when he had seven sacks.
Kentucky will be without a pair of productive true freshman WRs Saturday vs. Missouri. Ryan Timmons and Alex Montgomery have combined to make 43 catches for 432 yards and four TDs, but neither will be in uniform against the Tigers. Also, WR Javess Blue is a question mark. Blue took an errant ball to the eye during warm-ups before UK’s win over Alabama St. and was unable to play due to blurred vision. Blue has 28 receptions for 345 yards and two TDs.
North Carolina senior QB Bryn Renner is out for the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury. After throwing 28 TD passes compared to seven interceptions as a junior, Renner wasn’t as effective this year with a 10/5 TD-INT ratio.
North Carolina State junior WR Bryan Underwood is done for the season after breaking his collarbone. Underwood finished 2013 with a team-high 32 receptions for 382 yards and one TD.
Maryland QB C.J. Brown (ankle) will be back for Saturday’s home game vs. Syracuse. Brown has a 7/3 TD-INT ratio and six rushing scores. However, he won’t have his top two weapons (WRs Stefon Digg and Deon Long are out for the year) and nine other Terrapins are ‘questionable,’ including leading rusher Brandon Ross. If there’s a team in America more decimated by injuries than Florida, it’s definitely this Maryland squad.
USC will be without three starters Saturday at California. RB Tre Madden will be missed the most. He leads the Trojans in rushing with 671 yards and three TDs. CB Anthony Brown (arm) remains out along with DE Morgan Breslin, who has been sidelined for more than a month with a hip injury.
UCLA got leading rusher Jordon James back last week, but he was ineffective in a 45-23 home win over Colorado. James rushed for only eight yards on six totes and had just two receiving yards on two catches. James had missed three consecutive games after spraining his ankle in a win at Utah on Oct. 3. Starting OT Simon Goines will return after missing back-to-back games, and that’s huge with OT Torian White done for the season and White’s back-up Connor McDermott still out. Also, LB Kevin Hendricks is ‘probable’ after sitting out the win over CU.
TCU RB Waymon James has been suspended for Saturday’s game at Iowa St. James is the Horned Frogs’ second-leading rusher with 242 yards and four TDs.
Since returning from a torn quad that caused him to miss a month, ULM senior QB Kolton Browning has thrown nine TD passes without an interception in leading the Warhawks to back-to-back wins both SU and ATS.
Boise St. QB Grant Hedrick is coming off his best game since replacing senior QB Joe Southwick, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury. Hedrick threw five TD passes without an interception and also rushed for a score in leading the Broncos to a win and spread cover at Colorado St.
