Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Preparing for Wisconsin
August 23, 2006 | Football
Aug. 23, 2006
By JACK CARLE, Sentinel Sports Editor - The knee injury suffered by Bowling Green's Corey Partridge is not as serious as first expected and he could return to the lineup as early as the Sept. 9 game against Buffalo.
"He's got a slight ligament sprain, he'll be all right," BG head coach Gregg Brandon said about Partridge on Tuesday. "I don't know if he'll play the first game (against Wisconsin on Sept. 2 in Cleveland Browns Stadium), but we might have him for Buffalo.
"I saw him walking around today (Tuesday) and he's not limping nearly as bad. He's already started rehab (rehabilitation). It's just a matter of him rehabbing and that thing getting stronger."
Partridge was injured during Friday's practice when he was blocking after a pass play and a teammate fell on the back of his legs.
A 5-feet-11, 187-pound redshirt sophomore, Partridge is the top returning receiver for the Falcons. Partridge started the 2005 season with eight receptions for 160 yards against Wisconsin, but was hampered by injuries the rest of the way and finished with 23 receptions for 317 yards.
Now there is added pressure on seniors Ruben Ruiz, 6-4, 247, and Kenneth Brantley II, 5-11, 194. Redshirt sophomore Marques Parks, 5-11, 195, suffered a broken leg last season, but is expected to play a key role this season.
"We're young, but that doesn't mean we don't know how to play. A lot of these freshmen are really gifted," said Ruiz, who had 11 catches for 174 yards and two scores for the Falcons last season. Ruiz played at Arizona Western College for two years before transferring to Bowling Green. "I'm really excited to make some plays out there. Some of the guys are hurt, so I have to pick up the rifle and keep going.
"I'm going to take whatever challenge comes my way ... Catch the ball and be strong with it; that's my job."
Freshman Zach Charles, 5-10, 168, who was an all-state receiver at Winter Haven (Fla.) High School is also in the mix and could see extensive time in Partridge's absence. Charles is also expected to return punts against Wisconsin.
"I really believe that he's going to be a great, great receiver out here," Ruiz said about Charles.
Also Sean O'Drobinak, 6-4, 262, redshirt junior, returns at tight end. Four of O'Drobinak's nine catches last fall went for touchdowns.
"With Corey, obviously we're better. But I feel pretty good about how we set up for the first game," Brandon said.
BRIGGS PRACTICES: Defensive end Diryal Briggs, a 6-4, 216, redshirt sophomore, hit the practice field for the first time Tuesday. He has been battling a broken foot suffered during the winter.
Briggs is expected to be a key contributor at defensive end for the Falcons, but there is no set timetable for his return.
"I don't know if he's going to be in game shape for the first game," Brandon said, adding Briggs practiced well on Tuesday.
CAPTAINS: BG's players have selected junior center Kory Lichtensteiger, Brantley, senior defensive tackle Brad Williams and senior defensive end Devon Parks as the team captains.
The players will also elect a game captain each week. Sophomore cornerback Antonio Smith was selected for the Wisconsin game.
UW UPDATE: Chris Pressley, slated to be the starting fullback for Wisconsin, suffered a lower leg injury during a Monday practice that could force Pressley to miss "most, if not all, of the 2006 season," according to a UW press release.
Pressley joins senior quarterback John Stocco, who underwent minor surgery on his right knee on Aug. 11, on the sidelines. Stocco, who has started 25 straight games, could be back for the Badgers game against Bowling Green.
Junior Tyler Donovan is currently UW's quarterback.
"Tyler has definitely taken a strong hold there," UW head coach Bret Bielema told the Wisconsin State Journal. "He's really done a good job, I think, of improving every day."
Donovan said he was taking the approach of trying to maximize every opportunity.
"I've got to take advantage of it, because it's a situation for me to get the reps I usually wouldn't get with John being in there," he said in a recent interview with the newspaper. "I've got to be in there thinking, `Every play I've got to take advantage of it."'
