Northwestern football coach Randy Walker said Tuesday that he suspects injured starting running back Damien Anderson will sit out the remainder of the season. But Walker added that he and Anderson won’t know for sure until more medical tests are performed.
Walker wouldn’t say just what decisions need to be made, but he did say that Anderson’s “choices” will determine whether the runner plays in any bowl game for which the Cats could qualify.
“I’d rather he say it,” Walker said. “There are some choices involved. He’s going to talk to his family and make the decision.”
Anderson declined to comment.
The back left Saturday’s game against Indiana after dislocating his shoulder on the first play of the second half. He said at a news conference Monday that he would sit out Saturday’s game against Iowa, but he was uncertain about his status for NU’s game against Bowling Green on Nov. 17 and for the Cats’ Thanksgiving matchup at Illinois.
“He’s given us a tremendous career here,” Walker said. “We couldn’t ask for more out of him.”
the new man: Anderson has been the centerpiece of NU’s offense for three seasons, but now Walker faces a decision he hasn’t had to worry about since he arrived at NU.
The Cats need a new running back.
“We had a guy here for three years – and when I say we had a guy, I mean he was ‘The Guy,'” Walker said. “We don’t have the guy now – and only time will tell who the (new) guy (will be).”
Getting his team ready for three games that will determine its bowl eligibility, Walker now must choose between three running backs who he said are all possible starters for Saturday’s game.
The competition boils down to junior Kevin Lawrence, sophomore Torri Stuckey and freshman Noah Herron.
“It’s almost like being back to Kenosha in the middle of the season,” Stuckey said, referring to the team’s preseason training camp.
With opposing defenses on the lookout for Anderson, Lawrence has been a frequent substitute this season. He is listed in Anderson’s starting spot on the depth chart, but Walker made it clear that nothing is set in stone. Both Herron and Stuckey have been stars on special teams this year. Herron has played tailback this season against Indiana and Duke.
“Kevin has the edge,” Walker said. “But I want to make clear that this thing is wide open.”
And though he’s looking for someone to step up, Walker said Monday he likely will use a combination.
“There’s a certain element of being a good running back where you learn how to play 80 plays and carry it 25 or 30 times,” Walker said. “And I don’t know that it’s an easy thing to learn. It’s a different feeling in the fourth quarter on the 35th carry. I’m not sure I want to take any of those guys there yet, so I would say all three of those guys will probably play.”
EYES FORWARD: When Kustok talks, the freshmen listen. Well, at least he hopes they do.
With his college days numbered, Kustok asked the younger players at Sunday’s team meeting to set aside all their thoughts about next year and focus on NU’s three remaining games. He has expressed concern that his teammates might ignore the rest of this season while thinking about the future.
“I’m pretty sure there are some guys on the team who are thinking like that,” Stuckey said. “But I’m looking at these last three games like an evaluation for next year.”
Injuries and inconsistencies have forced NU’s coaches to replace several seniors with underclassmen on both sides of the ball.
“We (seniors) were freshmen and sophomores too, and it’s a lot easier to look at the season and see that you have three years or two years or another year left after this year,” Kustok said. “But as we all know, this is our last year, so we have to make sure that they keep on trusting and believing in us and looking up to us – just trying to follow our lead.”
SIMPLE MATH: To Walker, it’s the only statistic that matters.
He examines his team’s turnover ratio with the intensity of a calculus professor. By his book, that statistic holds the closest correlation to victory. The Cats have lost the turnover battle in each of their defeats this season.
So it’s no surprise that Walker’s voice gets louder and his tone grows harsher as he begins to talk about his team’s season-long problem with coughing up the football. The Cats’ defense hasn’t forced a fumble since they played Michigan State on Sept. 29.
“Winning the turnover ratio isn’t a hard thing to do,” Walker said. “The way you get turnovers is you knock the heck out of somebody and the ball comes out.”
INCHES TO GO: Senior strong safety Marvin Brown is out for the season with various injuries. … Junior free safety Sean Wieber is still listed as a backup to Mark Roush, although he didn’t play Saturday against Indiana. … Center Austin King sat out Tuesday’s practice with a sprained ankle, but Walker said he expects King to play against Iowa.
