NC State redshirt junior quarterback Devin Leary received the good news Sunday that his season wasn’t over, but it remains unclear when he’ll get the chance to play again.
Leary was hit in the pocket and exited the Florida State game with 4:59 remaining in the third quarter, and the Wolfpack trailing 17-10. Leary was replaced by senior backup quarterback Jack Chambers, who guided the Wolfpack to three field goals in a crucial 19-17 victory. Senior kicker Christopher Dunn finished with four big field goals.
NC State plays at Syracuse at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on the ACC Network, but NC State coach Dave Doeren was purposely vague on Leary’s availability.
“It showed a lot of heart with what we did in that game,” Doeren said. “You are missing your quarterback during part of that comeback.
“I thought Jack did an amazing job of being poised, more than anything.”
Leary had taken an X-ray on Saturday, which was negative, and then was expected to do an MRI on Sunday.
“The good news is that his shoulder is good,” Doeren said. “All the images were positive. It’s a rehab injury and that starts immediately. It is a day-to-day thing. He’s fortunate.”
Doeren said Leary could be out a week or out six weeks, it is too hard to know at this point. What does help the situation is that Leary understands what is needed in rehabbing an injury after suffering a leg injury in the past.
“He’s super tough and he’ll grind,” Doeren said. “There isn’t a timeline.
“It really comes down to how he recovers.”
Chambers played the final 26 snaps and helped bring home the victory with a run-based attack. He rushed seven times for 39 yards, with a long of 19, but not all the runs were designed carries.
Chambers didn’t complete a pass against the Seminoles, but is no stranger to the passing game. He went 230-of-416 passing for 2,510 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interception last year at Charleston Southern. The graduate transfer walk-on played extensively in road games at Georgia, East Carolina and South Carolina during his CSU playing career.
Doeren pointed out that Florida State dared NC State to run the football during the second half.
“If we have to get into a game and chuck it around, we feel great about him,” Doeren said. “[Freshman backup] MJ [Morris] will have to be ready to go. Ben Finley will have to be ready to go. Everyone is on deck as we get Devin ready to play.”
NC State also played without several injured players — redshirt junior H-back Trent Pennix, senior nickel Tyler Baker-Williams, sophomore wide receiver Anthony Smith and redshirt sophomore tight end Kam Walker.
“We hope we have Tyler this week, that was the plan, but we haven’t practice yet,” Doeren said. “Trent Pennix is close and it will either be this game or next.”
The Wolfpack also lost redshirt junior wide receiver Devin Carter and sophomore running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye during the game, but Doeren expects them to be ready to roll this week.
Doeren did announce that backup sophomore nickel Joshua Pierre-Louis was “indefinitely” suspended before the Texas Tech game Sept. 17.
NC State will also have to play the first half without redshirt sophomore cornerback Shyheim Battle, who was ejected late in the game for targeting.
“That was unfortunate and we did it in,” Doeren said. “They confirmed. I have still not seen an angle that tells me it was, and not because it wasn’t. I just am not privy to that film.
“It’s hard when you are hitting a player who is changing elevation on a play.”
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