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Baker, Johnson out indefinitely after surgeries

By James Henderson, Pack Pride.com

Aug 12, 2008

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Last year NC State battled through a long list of injuries, and the injury bug appears to have carried over as the Wolfpack has lost two players to injury in fall practice.

Head coach Tom O'Brien stated after Tuesday's practice that redshirt junior tailback Toney Baker and junior college transfer Clem Johnson had surgeries the past couple of days.

"We've had two surgeries here in the last couple of days," said O'Brien. "Toney Baker has had surgery to clear out some things in his knee so he's on the shelf for a while until he comes back from that.

"Clem Johnson broke his jaw in the scrimmage so he's out for maybe the year."

Johnson, a junior college transfer from Valley Forge, was in the mix for major playing time at safety. The talented athlete might have opened the season as the starter at boundary safety.

"We brought him in here for a purpose," said O'Brien. "The way he was playing, he would have been the starter at safety for us... with the way he was going. It's a big loss for us right now."

Johnson, who enrolled with three years to play two seasons, could likely redshirt.

"I believe he has a redshirt year," O'Brien said. "If he doesn't... the thing with the jaw is you don't want to eat and you lose all that weight. All that problem with trying to get substance in him. He'll start all over once it heals, which is a lengthy process anyways."