Triage Time: Giving Chase to a Title
October 16th, 2008 by Will Carroll
In a world where the Tampa Bay Rays are one game away from heading to the World Series, it seems like anything is possible. Heck, I even got a win in our staff fantasy league, which is more than I’ve had in my NFL league all year. (Don’t ask …) There’s a lot to get to this week and some big injuries around the college world, so let’s get to it:
Chase Clement QB RICE
The Owls QB1 will be a bit hobbled, but on the field as they take on Southern Miss. Chase Clement is both the leading passer and the leading rusher for Rice, so they need him out there despite a groin strain. He’s been able to take snaps and do most of his work in practice early this week, but he’s a step slow and clearly not pushing it. That’s both to keep it healthy and because he’s not completely comfortable testing it yet. By Saturday, he should be nearly full-go physically, but the mental side, especially for young athletes, is often the toughest one. Clement can’t be thinking about his groin when he rolls out Saturday. We’ll see early whether he is, but I think he’ll be a solid start this week.
Dan LeFevour QB CENTRAL MICHIGAN
The MAC seems to churn out QBs year after year and this year’s model is Dan LeFevour. In addition to a great name, LeFevour has an NFL-quality arm and plus mobility. That’s why seeing him limp off the field last week had the Chippewas in a bind. LeFevour isn’t just the QB, he’s nearly the whole offense, so losing him for any amount of time would be devastating. He’s expected to play, but might be a bit slow, especially on cuts, since he’ll have the ankle taped heavily. The coaching staff has enough time to adjust the game plan and try to limit the things he’ll be limited on. The Chippewas might be the biggest obstacle between Ball State and an undefeated season, so look for the BCS bigwigs to be big LeFevour fans in a couple weeks.
C.J. Spiller RB CLEMSON
New coach and no star running back? That sounds like a big problem for Clemson as they head into their matchup with Georgia Tech and out of the Bowden era. C.J. Spiller is out for the game with a hamstring strain and it could be longer than just one week. Spiller, I’m told, has a Grade II+ strain, one that was very sore the day after the game. He’s not back to running, which could open the door for Jamie Harper to establish himself as a real option. Harper, a true freshman, was one of the top recruits in the country and with 6’0, 230 size and breakaway speed, Spiller might find himself in a timeshare if he can’t get back quickly.
Brandon Tate WR NORTH CAROLINA
Brandon Tate isn’t just the WR1 for the Tarheels. He was leading the ACC in all-purpose yards and is the all-time NCAA yardage leader in kick returns, but his season is done. His knee was mangled and will require season-ending surgery, ending his time as a Tarheel. It also crushes his draft value, though he will still have a good chance at some sort of NFL career. The <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAqZvEm1eLw>exciting speed threat</a> was compared by coach Butch Davis to Michael Irvin, who also suffered a big knee injury in college.
Steven Threet QB MICHIGAN
The college game’s big difference is that the roster depth is so uneven. While some teams go three deep at every position, the talent is spiked enough that there’s no way to replace a special player. No one’s mistaking Steven Threet for a special player, but after he went out last week with a bruised elbow, it was clear that he’s the best option the Wolverines have. He’ll play this week and shouldn’t have significant problems, though he’s likely to avoid the long pass, something that he’s not known for anyway. The Michigan faithful have to hope they get more out of Rich Rodriguez in the future.
George Selvie DE SOUTH FLORIDA
You don’t normally see a defensive lineman here in ‘Triage Time’ but George Selvie is as dominant a player as there is. When he’s not lining up at full strength, the USF Bulls are clearly a different team, as it showed against Pitt. Jim Leavitt has said that Selvie shouldn’t have played and that he regretted putting his star in that position. With the team facing Syracuse, Leavitt has the same decision. Selvie’s ankle is better, but will Leavitt choose to keep him on the sideline or to use him in obvious passing situations? That remains to be seen, but Selvie’s status as a defensive playmaker is more stable than his ankle right now.
Kerry Meier WR KANSAS
Kerry Meier has had a great season for the Jayhawks and last week, with a minor leg injury, he went over 100 yards again. The former QB is among the nation’s leaders in catcher per game and yardage, so losing him, even for a few plays, hurts the Jayhawks attack. Sources tell me that he rolled his ankle, but that he was stable and not at risk when he went back out last week. He’s participating fully in practice as the Jayhawks get ready for a huge game against a reeling Oklahoma team this weekend. Look for another big game for Meier as the junior pushes himself towards the NFL.
Slick Shelley WR TULSA
You have to love a player named “Slick.” Slick Shelley has been a great weapon for the Golden Hurricane, but he had a scary moment in last week’s win. He was absolutely leveled and was on the field for quite a while as the Trainers attended to him. Despite obvious signs of concussion, he was back on the field later in the game. Yes, it was a tight game. Yes, the Hurricane stayed unbeaten, but it’s still dangerous to send a player back out like that. Sources tell me that he was tested on the sidelines and showed no deficits, but that’s easy to say now. We can only hope that Shelley stays symptom free. Tulsa heads home to take on UTEP as they continue to be a mid-major force.
Michael Desormeaux QB LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE
I’m still a bit bitter about the big loss last week by the Mean Green. That’s right, I’m a big fan of North Texas or rather a fan of the wide-open offense that Todd Dodge brought up from Southlake Carroll. So far, it’s not working well at the mid-major level, but it’s early. Still, I was hoping that we’d see some more results or a win by this point. The Mean Green had a chance against the Ragin’ Cajuns — and isn’t seeing two nicknames like that one of the great things about college football? — when QB Michael Desormeaux went down. Desormeaux twisted his knee and didn’t return and now it looks like he may be out for the Cajuns’ game against Arkansas State. It’s still swollen and tender, though tests didn’t show serious damage. He’ll be a gametime decision.
Pat White QB WEST VIRGINIA
The Mountaineers seem to have fallen down the mountain this season. Pat White, the all-world QB from last year, is heading an offense that’s putting up just 17 points a game. Worse, White is suffering from post-concussion syndrome, forcing him out of last week’s game. He’s still experiencing symptoms, with sources telling me that he still experiences some nausea and vertigo. They don’t play again until a showcase matchup on the 23rd. If White is able to play – and it’s a big question right now – Auburn will get a look at the “one that got away” as they head to Morgantown to take on White, an Alabama native.
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