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Junior quarterback Chris Dieker will miss six weeks with a broken left clavicle sustained in Saturday’s 27-8 victory over Youngstown State.
Head coach Dale Lennon said the injury will likely sideline Dieker for the remainder of the season, but the team will have to move on.
“Injuries are unfortunately a part of the game of football that you deal with on a weekly basis, and any time you have an injury to a key starter, the strength of your team will be tested,” Lennon said.
In his second season as a starter, Dieker had thrown for 1,272 yards and 10 touchdowns. Last season, he was named honorable mention All-Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Redshirt freshman Paul McIntosh, who filled in for Dieker in the second quarter of the Youngstown State game, will start in place of Dieker this Saturday at Indiana State.
Linebacker Brandin Jordan said the team is strong enough to take some injury, and that it will support McIntosh throughout the season.
“We’re a strong enough team that we can take some blows like this; it is just the way the game is,” Jordan said. “We’re going to miss quite a bit with Chris out, but not just one player has to do everything with all the talent we have. We know that Paul will do what he can to help us out. ”
Lennon said the depth at the quarterback position should alleviate some of the difficulty of replacing Dieker.
“I do feel — that Paul McIntosh has the abilities needed to be productive in our offensive schemes,” Lennon said. “I also know that even though Chris Dieker will not be on the field leading the charge, his impact will still be present as he helps his team prepare each week.”
McIntosh transferred to SIU from Army in October 2008. A native of Evansville, Ind., McIntosh was named Indiana’s 2007 Mr. Football and Gatorade Player of the Year.
McIntosh said after Saturday’s game that he was ready for the challenge of leading the team.
“The coaches just looked at me and told me, ‘get ready,’” McIntosh said. “Dieker told me to just play to my ability and trust my teammates, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Ryan Voyles can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 256
