North Carolina State University Athletics
PEELER: Irving to Miss 2009 Season
8/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
BY TIM PEELER
RALEIGH, N.C. - What Nate Irving learned from this final visit to a medical specialist is that he needs another six months of rehabilitation and healing before he will be ready to play football again.
So, barring some sort of miraculous healing between now and December, Irving will miss NC State's 2009 football season, a development that was not altogether unexpected by Irving, head football coach Tom O'Brien or the team's medical staff.
"It's just going to take some time to get back to normal," Irving said. "My injury was pretty severe, and it wasn't just one. I kind of expected to miss the season."
In late June, the junior linebacker was involved in an early-morning, single-car accident on his way home from Wallace, N.C., to Raleigh. He suffered multiple non-life-threatening injuries, including a collapsed lung, a broken rib, a separated shoulder and compound fractures in his left leg.
He had surgery soon after to repair his broken leg.
After being cleared in late July by other specialists, Irving was met with an orthopaedic specialist Thursday to determine his status for the coming season, which begins for the Wolfpack on Sept. 3 at Carter-Finley Stadium against South Carolina.
"[The doctor] said it would be best if Nate sat out this year," O'Brien said Thursday after his team conducted its second scrimmage of the preseason at Carter-Finley Stadium. "We will plan to play without. Certainly, if he heals miraculously and is able to make it back, we'll see him then.
"But with the traumatic compilation of three different body parts, it is best he sits out this year."
Irving tried not to let the disappointment of the announcement get to him emotionally. He knows that he is fortunate to have survived the accident.
"To be [standing] here today, I am blessed," Irving said. "To have another chance to play football on down the road is another blessing. I don't have any complaints."
Irving's spirits have been buoyed by the support he has gotten from his family, teammates, coaches and friends.
"I just want to thank everybody that has been there for me, those people who came to see me in the hospital, gave me gifts, came to talk to me, gave me some support," Irving said.
"It meant a lot to me and it pushed me to get better. I am getting better now."
The loss of Irving, who was an honorable mention All-ACC performer last year, even though he missed about one-third of the season with various injuries, is a big blow to the Wolfpack defense. Irving was the team's top defensive player in the spring.
"When you lose your best player, it makes an impact on the defense and an impact on the football team," O'Brien said.
Irving will spend much of the season continuing his rehabilitation, while supporting his teammates from the sidelines.
"Right now, my number 1 concern is to get healthy," Irving said. "That's my main focus."
Irving, who redshirted in 2006, will be a fifth-year senior in 2010. For now, he's not worried about that.
"I am just taking it one day at a time," Irving said. "The first thing I have to do is rehab. If everything goes well there, next year will take care of itself."
O'Brien had several other announcements after the two-hour scrimmage, including the departure of sophomore offensive lineman Desmond Roberts, who plans to transfer to an undetermined junior college, and the arrival of Georgia-transfer Michael Lemon, a defensive end.
Also, 2009-signee Everett Proctor of Fayetteville suffered a torn labrum that had to be surgically repaired on Thursday. He will miss the 2009 season, O'Brien announced.
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
