Chris O'Meara/Associated Press
West Virginia running back Dustin Garrison suffered a knee injury at practice Friday in Miami Shores, Fla., and will miss the Orange Bowl Wednesday against Clemson.
MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- One bad plant.
That's all it took for Dustin Garrison's left knee to buckle, and the ligaments to give way.
Late in practice Friday, West Virginia's top running back tore his anterior cruciate ligament and sprained his medial collateral ligament in a non-contact drill, explained the team trainer.
Shawne Alston will start at running back in his place Wednesday in the Orange Bowl against Clemson (10-3), coach Dana Holgorsen announced Sunday. Garrison's loss also opens the door for freshman Andrew Buie.
"It's disappointing not having Dustin," said Holgorsen in his first interview with reporters since Friday. "I tell ya, if we would've gave him the ball more through the course of the year he'd probably be a 1,000-yard rusher if we'd given him the ball more. It's disappointing he's not going to be in the game."
Alston, who has averaged 33.9 rushing yards a game and scored 10 touchdowns, has been a consistent player.
Buie, who missed three games with injuries, has averaged just 12.7 yards a game and with fewer opportunities.
He struggled with ball security early on, but has better straightaway speed than both.
"Obviously there's some things that Dustin did better than some of the other guys," running backs coach Robert Gillespie said. "But as a whole we're still going to do what we've been doing. [Buie] is a kid that we have a lot of confidence in. He worked his way up the depth chart coming out of fall camp. It's his time to make plays and we're confident that he will."
The injury to Garrison, said trainer Dave Kerns, happened about three-quarters of the way through practice when Garrison was making a run to the left, planted, changed direction and tried to cut back right.
The knee gave way.
"He missed a step, overstepped and the left leg gave way," Kerns said. "We evaluated it here and had huge concern."
Garrison, visibly in pain, seemed to know immediately.
The team confirmed the severity of the ACL injury -- a grade three sprain, which is a tear, explained Kerns.
Surgery has not been scheduled for Garrison, and he will stay with the team, on crutches.
Buie, who is Garrison's roommate in Miami, said he looks forward to the chance.
"This is an opportunity to just go out there and play. I feel like I'm ready to take on the task," he said. "[Coach Gillespie], his biggest thing is trying to keep me relaxed and play the game. Play the game I know how to play since I was little and everything should be all right."
The team's run game has never taken off the way it did Oct. 1 against Bowling Green when Garrison rushed for a freshman-record 291 yards.
For the season the team has averaged just 117.8 rushing yards a game.
Holgorsen said he is looking forward to seeing Buie in an increased role.
"Not having a guy like Dustin is tough. You throw a guy like Buie in there and I can't wait to watch him make some plays," Holgorsen said. "Let's keep in mind that all through fall camp we thought Buie was a little better. He just got hurt. He's a good quality player."
His teammates also seem to have faith.
"Dustin's a remarkable player and has come in as a true freshman and been able to produce for us, but we've got guys like Shawne Alston and Andrew Buie who'll definitely be able to pick up any type of slack," defensive tackle Julian Miller said. "Andrew Buie is a guy we have faith in. He's almost like Garrison but hasn't had as many snaps. [I'm] definitely looking forward to those guys getting after it."
First published on January 2, 2012 at 12:00 am
Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12002/1200719-144-0.stm?cmpid=collegeother.xml
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