Week Three Injury Update

After missing last week’s game, true freshman Keith Brown was back at practice this week.  Brown injured his hamstring against Kentucky in the season opener.  Albeit young, the Cards have a boatload of talented depth at the Linebacker position and should be able to manage just fine if by some chance Brown wasn’t ready to go. However, I do expect to see him suited up and ready to go.

Projected starting running back Dominique Brown has yet to make it in a game for the Cards this season.  What was originally proclaimed as a minor knee injury appears to be more serious than that, and is keeping Brown out of his third consecutive game.  The junior is currently listed as day-to-day with a tender knee. Head Coach Charlie Strong mentioned in his weekly radio show on Thursday night that he will likely sit out against the Tar Heels.  While there is no question the talented duo back system of Jeremy Wright and Senorise Perry can handle the bulk of the workload, I am still very eager to see how the quarterback-turned-runningback will perform after physically changing his body in the offseason gaining over 20 pounds of lean muscle.

Charlie Strong also mentioned during his radio show that redshirt freshman kicker John Wallace was out last week after injuring himself trying to tackle someone on special teams in week one.  Against Kentucky in the season opener Wallace connected on the Cards only field goal attempt while splitting the kickoffs with true freshman Joshua Appleby.  Wallace will return this week.  He may have some competition with Matt Nakatani after the redshirt sophomore kicker was 2/2 on field goals against Missouri State; one of which was from 45 yards out.

Starting wide receiver DeVante Parker missed much of the second half against Missouri State last week with appears to have been a hamstring injury but never came out of his pads.  Most likely the exit from the game was strictly precautionary.  After participating in practice this week Parker is expected to play.  The sophomore has accounted for three receptions in each of the first two games.

***After missing last week, North Carolina running back Giovani Bernard was back on the practice field on Tuesday.  Expect to see him suited up for the Tar Heels.