FARGO -- Last week got off to a rough start for the North Dakota State offensive line when starting guard Tyler Gimmestad hurt his knee. It got even more dicey, and scary, Friday night when center Josh Colville was involved in a moped accident that left him with a nasty cut above his eye.
Colville was on his way home from the Fargodome when, he said, a vehicle in front of him pulled to the side on 15th Avenue North -- then did a U-turn in front of him.
"I ran right into the side of his truck," Colville said.
Three separate cuts required 30 stitches. That and possible concussion symptoms sidelined him for the 24-23 win over Northern Iowa. Colville was not wearing a helmet.
"I don't think I'll be riding my moped anymore," he said.
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Still, NDSU's patchwork offensive line maneuvering did the job, and the Bison took a key Missouri Valley Football Conference victory. Colville was slated to move to guard against the Panthers because of the injury to Gimmestad, who said he has a slight tear of his MCL.
"It just kind of gave out on itself," he said.
The fact Gimmestad played at all was somewhat remarkable. He said he tried to convince assistant athletic trainer Bobby Knodel on Thursday to let him play, but to no avail. But when Colville got hurt a day later, he was given the nod to play only in case of an emergency.
That's exactly what happened when freshman Jack Plankers, who was playing guard for the first time after spending the last year as a tackle, left the game with a knee injury, one that is expected to keep him out this week, if not longer.
"I really didn't expect to play," Gimmestad said. "Then I got my chance. The doctor was pretty impressed with me playing on Saturday, and it feels pretty good right now."
He's expected to start Saturday when the Bison host Missouri State.
"That's the plan right now. We'll see as the week goes on," Gimmestad said.
Colville practiced Monday and is also expected to start at center, even though the cut above his eye resembles something from a Rocky Balboa movie. He was not diagnosed with a concussion.
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"We have some guys that can step in and they did -- they played a great game," Colville said. "Gimme came in at the end, and he was a game changer. He just loves the game, and he'll do whatever the team needs him to do."
