FARGO - The Towson University (Md.) football players will return to practice on Friday. By then, head coach Rob Ambrose said he’ll have a better idea on the health of starting quarterback Peter Athens.
The senior suffered a shoulder injury at the end of the first half Saturday in the Tigers’ 35-31 FCS semifinal win over Eastern Washington. Athens spent most of the second half on the sideline with his arm in a sling.
Ambrose said Monday that X-rays came up negative. He said he was told it’s not a separation and “nothing is broken.”
“This will be a week of rest and nothing but ice,” Ambrose said.
Athens started all 14 games, completing 220 of 334 passes for 3,050 yards, 17 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He won the job in fall practice from sophomore Connor Frazier, who played sparingly as a freshman and attempted only four passes this season heading into the semifinals.
He didn’t act like it on the game-winning drive against the Eagles. He finished 6 of 10 passing for 98 yards and scored on a quarterback sneak with 17 seconds and no Towson time outs left.
“The game plan didn’t change much,” Frazier said on the weekly Colonial Athletic Association conference call. “Coach Ambrose just said have some fun out there and let’s go win this thing.”
Ambrose said Frazier showed the ideal mentality after losing the bid for the starting quarterback spot. He saw some action at wide receiver, catching four passes for 62 yards and a touchdown.
He played that position in the first half against Eastern Washington before his quarterback duties were needed.
“After he lost the starting job, he really went about his day-to-day work like a professional,” Ambrose said. “What it did is allow him to keep his finger on the pulse of the offense at all times. What he did on Saturday was a culmination of months of preparation.”
