Veteran Lineman Lost to Career-Ending Injury

When redshirt senior Zach Allen screamed out in pain during Saturday's game against Miami, I immediately posted that the injury looked to be of the season-ending variety in the liveblog. Unfortunately, I was right. Allen, who suffered every lineman's nightmare of getting rolled up on, will undergo surgery on his injured foot soon and will not return this season. Since he is a senior, his Wolfpack career is over. Given the precedent set with Taylor Gentry's appeal for an extra season after his injury last season, there is no way Allen will get a 6th year after starting State's first 5 games.

Allen ends his career with 30 starts, all at right guard, where we was a steady if not spectacular presence. It is always a big hole to fill when you lose a guy who goes 6-3, 330, but Allen's loss is particularly troubling for the Pack, which will be down 3 starters on the OL this weekend. Cam Fordham, a sophomore transfer from LSU, will take Allen's spot at guard. At 6-3, 286, it will be a challenge for Fordham to move the much bigger interior linemen from Florida State.