North Carolina State University Athletics
Rivers' Status: Game Day Decision
11/9/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Tony Haynes
NC State quarterback Philip Rivers passed his first test on Wednesday when he was able to throw a limited number of passes for the first time since being diagnosed with a grade one shoulder separation following last Saturday's game at Maryland.
"He didn't throw bad," said Wolfpack coach Chuck Amato. "At times early, he looked like he was favoring it a little bit and we tried to cut down on the number of throws at that point."
After participating in about half of Wednesday's workout, the freshman from Athens, Alabama retreated to the training room to undergo another round of treatments on the injured shoulder. Amato said the next step would be to evaluate how Rivers felt this morning.
"It's going to come down to a game day decision unless something happens between now and then," Amato predicted. "If we had to play right now it would be Olin."
Junior college transfer Olin Hannum has been getting most of the reps with the first team offense this week and says he'll be ready if called upon to make his first NC State start when Duke comes to town on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
"I've just got to get myself ready," Hannum said. "I tried to keep myself ready when I wasn't playing. I know Philip and I are different quarterbacks; he's a big, strong guy and I'm smaller and a little bit quicker. We run the same offense and our offense isn't going to change."
While the offense wouldn't undergo a major facelift if Hannum were forced to play, there probably would be more of an inclination on offensive coordinator Norm Chow's part to utilize Hannum's mobility.
Said Amato: "He adds a different dimension because he's got a little quickness."
Interestingly, Hannum has more receptions that completions this season. Deployed as an extra wide out in situations when Chow has chosen to employ a little trickery, Hannum has recorded two catches. As a passer, he's just 1-of-4.
The decision on whether to play Rivers rests on the shoulders of Amato, Chow and team doctors. But Rivers will also participate in the process.
"Norm and I sat him down earlier in the day," Amato said. "We said, 'Philip, you've got to be fair and honest with us and your teammates.' He will be."
Rivers' toughness is well chronicled going back to last spring when he continued to play in a scrimmage after breaking a bone in his hand. Back then, he did an effective job of concealing the fact that he was hurting. This time, however, he's agreed to the terms imposed by the head coach.
