Dave Doeren updates status of other key NC State players
Overall, the news was fairly positive on the NC State injury front from head coach Dave Doeren Monday. The biggest development was that fifth-year redshirt junior quarterback Devin Leary was not expected to be lost for the season, although no specific timetable was offered for a potential return, either.
Leary’s MRI Sunday came back with positive news following his negative X-rays Saturday during the game, according to Doeren, and thus his return will be based on how quickly Leary can rehab his throwing shoulder.
Leary is not the only injury update that Doeren provided Monday.
Super senior nickel Tyler Baker-Williams is possible to return Saturday at Syracuse. Baker-Williams was arguably NC State’s best defensive player in the first three weeks of the season with 6 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and 1 sack. He also had 2 interceptions and a forced fumble, but Baker-Williams has missed the last three games with an ankle injury.
“I hope we have Tyler this week,” Doeren noted. “That was the plan. We’ll find out. We haven’t practiced yet, but that was the plan to have him.”
Also possible to return Saturday is fifth-year redshirt junior tight end Trent Pennix. Expected to be an emerging playmaker on the offense after catching 17 passes for 246 yards and 3 touchdowns last year, Pennix hurt his arm in the opener at East Carolina. The early prognosis was that Pennix would be back in 4-6 weeks. Monday marked five weeks since that timeline started.
Doeren said Monday that Pennix would be back in the NC State lineup either against Syracuse or after the bye vs. Virginia Tech in a Thursday night game on Oct. 27. On Thursday, Doeren had said that Pennix was “trending” towards returning for Syracuse, however. NC State will kick off against the Orange at 3:30 p.m. on ACC Network.
Pennix had 2 receptions for 25 yards in the opener vs. East Carolina before getting hurt on a sideline tackle.
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Two players who left the NC State win over Florida State and did not return were sophomore running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye and fifth-year redshirt junior receiver Devin Carter.
“We expect to have them both back [Saturday],” Doeren noted.
Sumo-Karngbaye is NC State’s leading rusher with 299 yards on 52 carries and 3 touchdowns. He has also added 12 receptions for 148 yards and a score. Carter has caught 13 passes for 194 yards and a TD.
One player who has also been absent in recent weeks is third-year sophomore nickel Joshua Pierre-Louis, who likely would have subbed in for the injured Baker-Williams otherwise. Doeren confirmed that since prior to the Texas Tech game that Pierre-Louis has been indefinitely suspended by NC State.
Pierre-Louis had 4 tackles in the first two games of the season before being suspended.
Doeren did not provide an update on NC State third-year sophomore receiver Anthony Smith, who has missed the last three weeks with an injury. He has 2 receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown this season, all coming in the win over Charleston Southern.
