Northern Illinois football coach Joe Novak got another round of bad news Monday.
As if the sting of losing 34-31 to Southern Illinois wasn't enough pain, the Huskies had several players suffer major injuries Saturday.
Tailback Montell Clanton and linebacker Tim McCarthy are both expected to miss several games when the results of Monday's MRI exams are evaluated.
On Clanton's status, Novak declared, ?I'm 95 percent sure Montell is out for the year.?
Meanwhile, McCarthy tore the PCL in his right knee against the Salukis. He limped off the field in crutches with an ice bag on his right knee. Novak is holding out hope that McCarthy can return this season.
?It could be anywhere from several weeks to the season,? Novak said. ?I'll know more this afternoon about his status, but it doesn't look good. Not a very good start to the season.?
Wide receiver Marcus Perez won't suit up for Saturday's Eastern Michigan game. Perez sprained his shoulder, and tight end Reed Cunningham (high ankle sprain) is out for NIU's Mid-American Conference opener.
The loss of Clanton hurts the fragile NIU offense. Clanton missed the final 10 games last year with a left knee MCL injury. He won the starting tailback spot in the spring, and showed signs of stabilizing the offense. He scored a career-high 59-yard touchdown against Southern Illinois. He tore the ACL in his right knee in the third quarter.
Less than a year removed from the graduation of star Garrett Wolfe, the Huskies are still searching for an adequate replacement. Justin Anderson and Chad Spann get the burden of trying to follow in Wolfe's shoes. Novak added Ricky Crider and David Bryant to the list of tailbacks expected to shoulder the rushing load.
?Justin Anderson has been playing very well,? Novak said. ?We gave Chad Spann a few carries Saturday. He did some positive things. He had one fumble that hurt, but he had some nice runs. Those kids are going to have to step up and take it from there.?
McCarthy's injury is a devastating blow to a defense reeling following SIU's 20-point fourth-quarter comeback. The defense held Iowa to 16 points, and limited the Salukis to 14 points in the first three quarters. Without McCarthy in the lineup, Southern Illinois shredded NIU's defense in the final quarter.
?Certainly (McCarthy?s) out for several weeks and there?s a good chance out for the year,? Novak added.
Even with McCarthy, the Huskies have followed last year?s turnover woes. The Huskies are minus-seven in the turnover column. In two games, Northern Illinois has turned the ball over eight times and forced one turnover. Novak said limiting turnovers is the perfect tonic to reverse NIU's 0-2 start.
?You can't do that against anybody and have success,? Novak said. ?If we can just get our football a little bit sounder and not be turning it over and try and gather a few turnovers, we can get this thing turned around. Right now, that?s just killing us.?
As if the sting of losing 34-31 to Southern Illinois wasn't enough pain, the Huskies had several players suffer major injuries Saturday.
Tailback Montell Clanton and linebacker Tim McCarthy are both expected to miss several games when the results of Monday's MRI exams are evaluated.
On Clanton's status, Novak declared, ?I'm 95 percent sure Montell is out for the year.?
Meanwhile, McCarthy tore the PCL in his right knee against the Salukis. He limped off the field in crutches with an ice bag on his right knee. Novak is holding out hope that McCarthy can return this season.
?It could be anywhere from several weeks to the season,? Novak said. ?I'll know more this afternoon about his status, but it doesn't look good. Not a very good start to the season.?
Wide receiver Marcus Perez won't suit up for Saturday's Eastern Michigan game. Perez sprained his shoulder, and tight end Reed Cunningham (high ankle sprain) is out for NIU's Mid-American Conference opener.
The loss of Clanton hurts the fragile NIU offense. Clanton missed the final 10 games last year with a left knee MCL injury. He won the starting tailback spot in the spring, and showed signs of stabilizing the offense. He scored a career-high 59-yard touchdown against Southern Illinois. He tore the ACL in his right knee in the third quarter.
Less than a year removed from the graduation of star Garrett Wolfe, the Huskies are still searching for an adequate replacement. Justin Anderson and Chad Spann get the burden of trying to follow in Wolfe's shoes. Novak added Ricky Crider and David Bryant to the list of tailbacks expected to shoulder the rushing load.
?Justin Anderson has been playing very well,? Novak said. ?We gave Chad Spann a few carries Saturday. He did some positive things. He had one fumble that hurt, but he had some nice runs. Those kids are going to have to step up and take it from there.?
McCarthy's injury is a devastating blow to a defense reeling following SIU's 20-point fourth-quarter comeback. The defense held Iowa to 16 points, and limited the Salukis to 14 points in the first three quarters. Without McCarthy in the lineup, Southern Illinois shredded NIU's defense in the final quarter.
?Certainly (McCarthy?s) out for several weeks and there?s a good chance out for the year,? Novak added.
Even with McCarthy, the Huskies have followed last year?s turnover woes. The Huskies are minus-seven in the turnover column. In two games, Northern Illinois has turned the ball over eight times and forced one turnover. Novak said limiting turnovers is the perfect tonic to reverse NIU's 0-2 start.
?You can't do that against anybody and have success,? Novak said. ?If we can just get our football a little bit sounder and not be turning it over and try and gather a few turnovers, we can get this thing turned around. Right now, that?s just killing us.?
