Injury update: Stuart out for season, Johnson, Goedeke progressing
Robi Stuart will miss the entire 2021 season
Stuart suffered an undisclosed injury in spring ball and was deemed out for the season, coach Jim McElwain said in his first press conference leading into fall camp.
Stuart's loss is a tough one for the Chippewa defensive line, who relied heavily on a three-man rotation of Stuart, Tico Brown and Jacques Bristol at defensive tackle during the abbreviated 2020 season.
Stuart has played in 37 career games and made 74 total tackles. He has earned All-MAC recognition twice, including last season when he was named honorable mention All-MAC.
To help address the need for depth, McElwain and his staff have added two defensive line transfers: John Wesley Whiteside (Austin Peay) and Tyrece Woods (Buffalo). Whiteside is a redshirt junior, while Woods is a sophomore.
Defensive end LaQuan Johnson and offensive tackle Luke Goedeke are returning from injuries. Goedeke had season-ending knee surgery prior to the 2020 campaign, while Johnson suffered a knee injury in the second quarter of the season opener against Ohio.
McElwain said both players will participate in individual and walk-through situations fully and be limited in team sessions. However, once games roll around, McElwain expects both to be full go.
"Coming off those surgeries, there's an established play count, or pitch count, however you want to look at it," McElwain said. "There's some things that they have to do to prove to themselves that they're able to play. But we also got to make sure that we get them to the games."
McElwain also anticipates a healthy Danny Motowski heading into camp. Motowski started in four games in 2020.
