The fear that redshirt junior outside linebacker Payton Wilson would be out for an extended period of time was alleviated Monday.
Wilson underwent shoulder surgery on both shoulders after getting hurt in the second game of the 2021 season, and missed the rest of the season. He fell to the ground while giving chase to East Carolina quarterback Holton Ahlers, and exited the game Saturday. He had played just 17 snaps in his comeback attempt.
“Payton’s MRI came back completely clean,” NC State coach Dave Doeren said. “He’s sore but there is nothing that is damaged as far as the shoulder goes. He hasn’t played football in over a year. He’s day-to-day.”
Not all of the injury news was positive Monday. Redshirt junior H-back Trent Pennix got dinged up twice against the Pirates, but took a hard hit on the second instance, and came up with an injured left wrist. Doeren expects him to be out 4-fo-6 weeks, and that will lead to extra snaps to redshirt sophomore Christopher Toudle and redshirt freshman Cedric Seabrough.
Pennix had caught two passes for 25 yards. The converted former running back had 17 catches for 246 yards and three scores last year in re-inventing himself.
“It’s a non-surgical injury,” Doeren said. “He will be out four-to-six weeks, but he will be back this season. It just depends on the healing process, but I’m not going to get into the details of what it is.”
Doeren said Wilson will just need some time. With NC State hosting Charleston Southern on Saturday, it’s logical that could be a game where Wilson gets some extra rest.
“The guy has been through so much,” Doeren said. “The knees and the shoulders. He is one of the most competitive spirts I’ve coached. The way he looks at the game and the warrior’s mentality he has for playing the game, and his physicality he likes to play with. He’s more different than other people.”
Junior Jaylon Scott filled in for Wilson on Saturday and finished with eight tackles in 46 plays. He started six of 12 games last year and had 30 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks.
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