Louisiana football injury update: Ben Wooldridge out, others expected back vs. Buffalo
Louisiana football senior quarterback Ben Wooldridge will be out "for a significant amount of time" after going down on the game's fourth play at UAB Saturday night.
UL coach Michael Desormeaux told reporters Monday morning the evaluations of the QB's foot, which he was not able to put any pressure on when he sustained the injury, are not positive but there is good news in that Wooldridge won't have to undergo surgery.
"Ben won't require surgery but his foot, he'll be out for the foreseeable future for sure," Desormeaux said. "We're going to support him. One thing we've all learned about him is his resolve and his determination to get back.
"This is something that (the trainers) feel like that at the end of the year, hopefully, four to six weeks maybe, something like that, that he'll be able to put himself in position to come back. There's a lot of variables in there."
Wooldridge was only in his third game back from a late-season ACL tear during practice last November and the Pleasanton, California native has worked through rehab to get back nine short months post-operation. Through two games, the Ragin' Cajuns quarterback was playing well, having thrown for 508 yards on 39-of-69 passing with five touchdowns, adding two more scores on the ground.
When he went down at UAB, the initial concern was his surgically repaired knee but it was inevitably a foot issue.
Louisiana football expects RB Dre'lyn Washington, WR Rob Williams back vs. Buffalo
While the news on the quarterback front is not ideal, there is optimism for UL's offense as starting sophomore running back Dre'Lyn Washington, sophomore receiver Rob Williams and right tackle George Jackson are expected to be back.
Washington has missed the last two games while Williams and Jackson both sat out the UAB game.
"George is probably the one that is still questionable right now, depends on how he handles the protocols coming up. But the other two, they were out there last night," Desormeaux said. "Last night was pretty light during the walkthrough but they are expected to be full-go this week."
Ragin' Cajuns starting RG will be out against Buffalo Bulls
The injury rollercoaster continues for Louisiana.
Desormeaux said Monday that starting right guard Jax Harrington will miss Saturday night's game versus Buffalo.
"It looks like it'll be one to two weeks. It's not going to be a long-term thing," Desormeaux said.
If Jackson is cleared, it's likely that he slides over to right guard while James Ohonba, who started at right tackle last weekend, or Quinton Williams could occupy right tackle.
"James played great (at UAB). Truthfully, that's the best our offensive line has played in the last two years," Desormeaux said. "That was as good as we've played in a long time. I'm proud of them because they had it on their mind that they were going to play a certain time of way."
Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Louisiana football QB Ben Wooldridge out 'foreseeable future'
