Posted by bambi2godzilla on 4/5/2008, 10:05 am
63.249.102.18
The Bulldogs have to bw wondering if history is starting to repeat itself:
Potential Fresno State football team starter goes down
Defensive line, riddled by injuries last season, suffers a setback with the loss of DE Borg.
Bryant-Jon Anteola
The Fresno Bee
4/04/08
Fresno State suffered its first casualty of the spring.
Defensive end Kenny Borg, who was in contention for a starting spot, will miss the upcoming season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Borg suffered the injury during a noncontact drill March 28.
And though he continued to practice that day, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Borg will undergo season-ending surgery Monday, coach Pat Hill said.
"That's football, it's an unforgiving game," Hill said. "We're not the only ones dealing with these things. That's just the way the game goes sometimes."
Another key contributor going down was one of the last things Fresno State wanted to see after the rash of injuries the team suffered last season -- at least 23 players missed action.
Fresno State already is missing about 10 players this spring. Many are recovering from previous injuries or from offseason surgeries.
Borg, who could not be reached for comment Friday, played as a true freshman last year and saw his playing time increase as the season progressed.
He was expected to give the Bulldogs a balance of solid pass and run defense, and, most importantly, provide a consistent performance on a line filled with question marks.
Borg has drawn comparisons to recently departed defensive end Tyler Clutts and 2005 Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year Garrett McIntyre -- athletes who have played with energy, have a good sense of the game and are quick off the snap.
Borg's injury is the second blow this offseason to the defensive line, which already has lost end Jason Roberts, who suffered a broken leg last year that went from season-ending to career-ending.
"Except for the Jason Roberts' injury, all of our injuries have seemed to be suffered through noncontact," Hill said. "Borg's done. But that means someone else will have to step up."
Borg played in nine games last season and had nine tackles (three solo) and 2 & 1/2 sacks.
Fresno State has only two spots solidified on the defensive line, with Ikenna Ike at one of the ends and Jon Monga at one of the tackles.
Wilson Ramos, who began as a tackle but switched to defensive end last season because of injuries, has been practicing with the first team.
Ramos actually has the most experience of all the ends, having played in all 13 games last year. He had 27 tackles (13 solo), including seven behind the line of scrimmage, and three sacks and two fumble recoveries.
Cornell Banks, a 6-3, 265-pound tackle, fills out the rest of the first-team line.
Other candidates who could see their playing time increase with Borg out are:
* Chris Carter, the fastest of all the defensive linemen. The 6-2, 220-pound Carter played as a true freshman last season but is viewed more as a pass-rush specialist.
* Michael Stuart, a senior, who switched from tight end to defensive end midway through last season. He also is viewed as a pass rusher.
* Chris Lewis, who will be a sophomore next season. He was suspended for the fall semester and barred from practicing with the team. Formerly a Miami recruit, Lewis appears to have the potential to assume a starting role but he still is working on conditioning and must improve his technique. He has been working primarily with the third team.
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