NC State Cornerback James Valdez Tears ACL

NC State head coach Dave Doeren confirmed yesterday that Redshirt Freshman James Valdez tore his ACL in the Marshall game.

“Yup, you’ll see those two guys. James Valdez did tear his ACL and is out for the year, so it’s a bad deal for him. He’ll go through the rehab process. Chris Ingram and Bryce Banks are our two backup corners until Stevens is back in the fold. With Nick Lacy those will be our six corners for the year.”

According to Doeren yesterday, Senior Mike Stevens has practiced all week, and is looking good, and playing confident, but isn’t likely to play this Saturday, unless Furman uncharacteristically starts airing the ball out. He should be 100% for the Florida St. game, which is HUGE news for NC State.

Sophomore Nick McCloud has impressed me with his work in the first two games. When RS Senior Johnathan Alston struggled against Marshall’s Tyre Brady, McCloud stepped up to the plate and quieted him down.

Alston has played Cornerback in college for two games, and Ingram, Banks, and Lacy have never taken a collegiate snap at Cornerback.

If you thought the NC State secondary was thin, it just got scary skinny.