North Carolina State University Athletics
The Long Road Back
10/14/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Six weeks. A month and a half. It doesn't sound like a long time, unless you're a football player. When NC State center Keegan Weir broke his fibula in the first quarter of the first game at Texas, he knew almost right away that six weeks of his season would be lost.
The Pack's stunning victory over the Longhorns that night somehow overshadowed the damage that had been done. As the clear cut #1 at the center position, Weir was one of those players that NC State could not afford to lose.
His replacement at the time, Derrick Green, has a lot of potential. But the operative word is potential. As a redshirt freshman, Green has a physical and mental maturation process he must go through before he's ready to become a big time ACC center.
Six weeks have come and gone since that night in Austin. NC State is 4-2, but its offense is ranked last in the ACC. Sure there have been other injuries to other key players, but it's now painfully obvious how much the Pack has missed Keegan Weir.
Thanks to the improved play of veteran Ryan Knudtson, NC State received its best performance of the year at the center position in last Saturday's 35-31 win over Clemson. Perhaps it's no coincidence that the Wolfpack offense also put together its best game of the season against the Tigers.
Knudtson is the center for now, but for how much longer? Weir is almost ready to return.
"He won't be ready for this week's game against Virginia, but hopefully he'll be ready for Duke," said NC State head coach Mike O'Cain. "He ran a little bit last week and the leg was very sore. He had to get back to being able to carry his body weight. We're talking about a 300-pound man and that puts a lot of stress on the leg. He's better this week. He should be ready to step in there next week."
But what happens if Knudtson puts together another strong performance this week?
"We'll have to look at our situation and see how Ryan and the offensive line are playing." O'Cain said.
That's a problem O'Cain would gladly take at every position.
