Tuesday, October 2, 2001
[ UH FOOTBALL ] There is no broken bone in Hawaii sophomore starting quarterback Tim Chang's right (throwing) wrist, doctors determined today after looking at X-rays and an MRI. Update: Chang’s
wrist not brokenBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comChang is still out for Saturday's game at Southern Methodist, but might be in action as soon as the Oct. 13 home game against Texas-El Paso.
"Timmy will not make this week's trip to Dallas," UH coach June Jones said. "The good news is that there is no apparent fracture. The doctors are going to take additional X-rays on Monday and hopefully we can get him back on the field next week."
Chang, the nation's leader in total offense, fell on his wrist at the end of a fourth-quarter play during Hawaii's 27-24 loss to Rice last Saturday at Aloha Stadium.
Senior Nick Rolovich will start Saturday against SMU, Jones said.
Chang out THE HAWAII football team complained of many bad breaks in last Saturday's 27-24 loss to Rice. The Warriors likely didn't leave the worst of them behind as they get ready for Saturday's game at Southern Methodist.
for SMU
Hawaii's QB may have a
broken wrist; MRI
results due todayQuarterbacks by the numbers
By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comSophomore starting quarterback Tim Chang could miss at least two or three games with an injury to his right (throwing) wrist, which is likely a broken bone, UH coach June Jones said yesterday.
Chang said the wrist was sore yesterday. With a short practice week due to a long road trip, everything pointed toward him being out for the Mustangs. He is not on UH's travel roster.
"There's a 90 percent chance he has a fracture in his wrist," Jones said. "It's safe to say he won't play."
Senior Nick Rolovich will start for Chang, Jones said.
Dr. Robert Atkinson, who examined Chang yesterday, said he wouldn't know for sure if there is a break until he can look at the results this morning of an MRI done yesterday afternoon.
Atkinson said it appears the scaphoid, one of seven small bones in the wrist, could be broken.
"It wasn't obvious on the X-rays (taken at Aloha Stadium on Saturday)," Atkinson said. "If the (MRI) scan is negative he can try to throw this week."
Chang was scheduled to be examined again today.
If there is a break, Chang might require surgery that includes putting a screw into the wrist and he would be out at least two-to-three weeks.
Chang hasn't used a redshirt year yet; if he doesn't play again this season, that would be a possibility.
"There's a 90 percent chance
(Tim Chang) has a fracture in his wrist.
It's safe to say he won't play."
June Jones
Hawaii football coachThe Warriors are 1-2 overall and 0-2 in the Western Athletic Conference. The conference championship is almost out of the question, but a bowl game is still possible if UH turns things around quickly and profoundly -- factors that would come into consideration when thinking about redshirting Chang.
"It depends on how long he will be out," said Jones, when asked about the possibility of holding Chang out the rest of the season in order to gain him another year of eligibility.
Chang, who leads the nation in total offense, suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of UH's loss to Rice last Saturday, as he landed awkwardly on the wrist at the end of a play. The early diagnosis was a sprain.
Rolovich sprained the middle finger on his right (throwing) hand two weeks ago in Hawaii's 28-20 loss at Nevada and did not practice much last week.
But quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison and Jones said yesterday Rolovich should be able to play Saturday. Jones said a report last week that Rolovich had broken the finger was inaccurate.
"(Rolovich) was throwing the ball toward the end of last week but he didn't take any reps at practice," Jones said. "He'll practice this week."
Third-string quarterback Jared Flint replaced Chang against Rice.
Rolovich began last season as Hawaii's starting quarterback, but was replaced by Chang midway through the second game. Rolovich played in four games, completing 63 passes in 136 attempts with six touchdowns and four interceptions.
Chang was knocked out of the Oct. 28 loss to San Jose State and replaced by Rolovich, who started the next week, a loss at Fresno State. Chang returned for the next game, a victory against Nevada.
Senior slotback and team captain Craig Stutzmann said Chang would be a big loss, but expressed confidence in Rolovich and Flint.
"When you lose your starting quarterback he's basically the leader of your offense and you're going to lose some of your edge out there offensively," Stutzmann said. "We have some good backups. Rolo has game experience and there's Jared Flint. But I think it's going to be up to the team to pick them up."
Morrison said it will be hard for anyone to operate the Warriors' run-and-shoot as efficiently as Chang right away.
"A lot of it is familiarity with the offense. Nick is much more familiar this year than he was last year, but the speed of decisions is pretty remarkable for Tim," he said. "As Nick and Jared get more (practice) reps they will get better. It's the reps that give Tim the advantage."
Flint, a senior coming back from a right (throwing) shoulder injury, was ineffective in replacing Chang at the end of the Rice game. He completed three of eight passes for 28 yards with an interception, and he was sacked three times.
Morrison expects him to bounce back and learn from the experience.
"Jared's a strong guy. He and Nick are mature guys and they'll both get better and better," he said.
Career statistics for University of Hawaii quarterbacks Timmy Chang and Nick Rolovich: By the numbers
TIMMY CHANG
G Comp-Att-Int Pct Yards Avg TD Long Tim Chang 13 328-609-25 53.8 4,141 318.5 25 74
NICK ROLOVICH
G Comp-Att-Int Pct Yards Avg TD Long Nick Rolovich 4 63-137-4 46.3 815 203.8 6 51
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