NC State coach updates key injuries going into Clemson game |
NC State coach Dave Doeren updated his team’s injury report going into Saturday’s key Atlantic Division matchup with No. 4 Clemson.
The No. 20 Wolfpack were hurt by a number of early injuries in a 35-14 loss at new No. 3 Notre Dame. On the offensive side, running back and returner specialist Nyheim Hines suffered a sprained ankle in the first quarter. Doeren said that he practiced Wednesday, but wasn’t a full-go – held out of taking any hits. “We didn’t hit him so that part we’ll still have to see,” Doeren said on the ACC coaches teleconference Wednesday. “But he was full-speed and flying around the field, so we’re excited that his progression has been what we’ve hoped it would be and tomorrow we’ll continue to do more. We’re still three days out so the recovery will continue.” Hines, a converted wide receiver, leads NC State with 654 rushing yards and six touchdowns, averaging 15 carries per game. He ranks sixth in the ACC in rushing yards per game (81.75) despite last Saturday’s absence for three-quarters-plus. Doeren says he’s confident Hines will be ready come Saturday. “I know he did (feel confident) coming off the field today,” said Doeren. “Some of that is mental for those guys. You get tackled and rolled up and you pop up and you’re good. You just have to get through those things in a game. Progression-wise he’s doing really well so far in the recovery.” The Wolfpack’s veteran-laden defensive front had three players – including two starters – go down last week in defensive end Darien Roseboro (right foot injury) and defensive tackles Justin Jones (elbow injury in first quarter) and Eurndraus Bryant (ankle injury in first half). Doeren likes the prognosis for his defenders as well. “They’re all back (in practice)…Justin Jones was 100 percent today. He looked great,” Doeren said. “And Darian practiced the whole practice. Eurndraus Bryant was out there – we didn’t do as much with him. Just because at nose-tackle there isn’t a lot for him to do in individual work and we rested him. “I think we’ll have them all and they’ll be feeling really good on gameday. We’ll be back to being able to play eight or nine guys on the front.” Jones leads the trio with 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, with Roseboro totaling two sacks and six TFL (23 tackles) and Bryant tallying two sacks (2.5 TFL) and 11 tackles. Doeren knows health and execution will be at a premium facing Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant Saturday. “He’s without a doubt a threat – not just when they design it for him, but when they drop back and he scrambles,” the Wolfpack coach said. “Similar to when we played Louisvillle and other quarterbacks like Syracuse. Our d-line has to be disciplined. We can’t just run past them and open up an escape lane.…We have to understand how we work together in pass rush because that’s really important against an athletic guy like Kelly.”
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