The Dickinson State football team will be without one of its most experienced offensive linemen the rest of the season after suffering an injury that has left the coaching staff scratching their heads as they try to determine a suitable replacement strategy.
Junior left tackle Aaron Cook injured his right knee during the first quarter of the Blue Hawks' 27-3 victory over Valley City State. Cook expects to sit out the rest of the year because of the injury.
He had an MRI on the knee Monday but said he didn't know what the results were yet.
Cook said DSU athletic trainer Tim Kreidt told him after examining the knee that he likely has a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament, as well as possible damage to the Medial Collateral Ligament and meniscus in the knee.
"When he got me off the field and onto the table, he did his diagnoses," Cook said.
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A starter since last season, Cook, listed at 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, had staked his claim to the left tackle spot despite being a bit undersized for the position.
"Your left tackle maybe needs to be your best pass blocker and protect your quarterback's backside," DSU offensive line coach Pete Leno said. "You hate to lose somebody with experience, or lose anybody period."
Junior Jess Furhman, the starter at right tackle through four games, rotated to left tackle after Cook's injury and will likely start there during Saturday's homecoming game against Mayville State.
After that change ... well, Leno said it could be offensive line by committee as the staff tries to plug gaps on the right side of the line.
Freshmen center Doug Staley and senior left guard Jordan O'Donnell will remain at their positions for the time being.
Right guard was already a position in a bit of a lurch after sophomore Ry O'Connor was sidelined with mononucleosis and freshman backup Kyle Enebo sprained the MCL in his right knee against Jamestown College.
Freshman Darwyn Walker and sophomore Ben Langford were two players that filled in at right guard Saturday against VCSU and will be looked upon again. The Blue Hawks must also look to freshmen Greg Miller, Carl Dynneson and Matt Ruland, amongst others, to try and fill open spots.
Dynneson, a 6-7, 265-pound true freshman from Sidney, Mont., had his redshirt pulled Saturday because of Cook's injury and Miller moved over from the defensive line before the VCSU game.
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"You're getting to the guys who don't have any game experience and that's the nature of the game, unfortunately," Leno said.
