S.C. State starting center lost for season
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer Wednesday, September 16, 2009South Carolina State enjoyed good fortune with Raymond “Duck” Harrison playing center.
In four years, the Columbia native started 42 of 46 games snapping the football for the Bulldogs.
It now appears the Bulldogs will be looking at a third player since the preseason to fill Harrison’s shoes. On Tuesday, the team learned redshirt senior Casey Fortune would undergo surgery on his left knee that will likely bring an end to his season.
Fortune injured the knee in the first half of last Saturday’s 24-3 win at Bethune-Cookman,
S.C. State sports information director Bill Hamilton said an MRI revealed ligament damage to Fortune’s knee and that his return this season was doubtful.
The Lee Central native was Harrison’s backup before starting the first two games this season for the Bulldogs. Clemson transfer Barry Humphries figured to be the Bulldogs starting center, but he left the team in the preseason after not being able to fully return from an ACL injury. Fortune then earned the starting spot with a strong showing in the team’s first preseason scrimmage.
The center duties are now expected to be handled by junior college transfer Sam Timothy, who played the entire second half against Bethune-Cookman. He also competed for the center position during the preseason and will have 10 days to develop a rapport with the quarterbacks entering the Sept. 26 home opener against Winston-Salem State.
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