North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Will "Limp" Into Atlanta
10/15/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 15, 2001
By Tony Haynes
Early in the third quarter of NC State's ACC football game against Clemson on Saturday, more than 50,000 fans held their breath as Wolfpack linebacker Levar Fisher was being helped off the Carter-Finley Stadium field. This was, after all, not just another football player. It was Levar Fisher, one of the most durable, indestructible players in all of college football.
In an attempt to apply pressure to his left leg, Fisher stumble forward as his aching left knee buckled. NC State head coach Chuck Amato immediately thought the worst, so did many of Fisher's teammates.
"Seeing him coming off the field like that was tough, not knowing how severe it was or what was going to be wrong," said Pack quarterback Philip Rivers. "He plays so hard, he's such a likeable guy, he's one of our leaders and he's got a bright future in front of him. Just to see that was tough."
Said Amato: "I was thinking the worst because when they stood him up on the field and they sort of let their hands off him, he took a step and kind of fell. After the game, I would have guessed that he was done."
But apparently, the 2000 ACC Defensive Player of the year isn't done. An MRI taken on Sunday showed that Fisher had suffered a contusion and sprain, but no ligament damage. He is listed as questionable for next Saturday's game at Georgia Tech.
"All I understand is that we're ordering a special knee brace that ought to be able to handle it," Amato said during his weekly press conference on Monday. "He's not going to do anything today or tomorrow, maybe a little bit on Wednesday or Thursday. We got the MRI yesterday and Levar's spirits have gone all the way to heaven."
Unfortunately, the news isn't as promising for defensive tackle Terrance Martin, who will be out for six weeks after undergoing exploratory surgery on his stomach. Martin, a junior college transfer from Hinds Community College, has been suffering discomfort in his abdomen for weeks. After starting Saturday's game against Clemson, Martin left the field in the first quarter and was later hospitalized.
Defensive end Terrance Chapman also missed Saturday's game with a sprained ankle. Chapman is being listed as questionable this week.
"When Terrance Martin went out at the end of the first period and Terrance Chapman didn't even dress, we weren't playing with the same defensive personnel that looked so quick and looked like it had the ability to make big plays in the first game," Amato said. "Then you add the fact that Levar went out early in the third quarter, now you've taken three playmakers out of there. We're back to square A, we're back to playing a lot of the defensive linemen that we played with last year. But it was those people that wouldn't allow Clemson to score after having first and goal on the one-yard line."
That inspiring goal-line stand in the fourth quarter at least gave NC State a chance to stay in the game. In the end, the Pack would fall to the Tigers by eight.
Guard William Brown (ankle) and kicker Austin Herbert (ankle) are listed as probable this week, although it's still not known if Herbert will be healthy enough to handle the punting and placekicking chores against Tech.
"It's got the poor kid frustrated and it's got everybody frustrated," Amato said. "His ankle just stays sore. It's killing Austin, it really is. I hope he can get to where he's 100 percent. He didn't punt at all last week. The first time he punted was during pre-game warm-ups."
With Herbert ailing, Adam Kiker has been handling the placekicking duties the last three weeks.
