FAIRMONT — One of the best sights during the first few days of Fairmont State’s preseason football camp was seeing Henry Richardson back on the field.
Richardson, FSU’s 6-foot, 210-pound senior outside linebacker, suffered a fracture in his femur where it joins the knee last season in the Falcons’ wild 46-42 come-from-behind victory over Shepherd University in week four. He was lost for the remainder of the year and missed all of spring drills.
The speedy, athletic Richardson, who had 19 tackles, including three for losses and a pair of sacks prior to getting injured last fall, has been cleared to play, but Falcon coach Mike Lopez still wants to remain cautious with him.
“We’re going to let Henry dictate to us how much he can go,” said Lopez. “That was a major injury and a very big blow to our defense last year. When he went down our defense just wasn’t the same because he was one of our key leaders.
“We’re thrilled to have him back because he’s the type of kid who goes out there and makes plays all over the field. At the same time, though, we want him for an entire season so we don’t want to rush him back into action. He’s a tough young man, though, and come Aug. 27 he’s going to be ready for us.”
o o o o o o
FSU sophomore nose guard Devin Johnson may likely be lost for the 2009 season. Johnson, who played in all 11 games last fall and was credited with 10 starts, is battling mononucleosis and is not permitted to do any on-field work for a minimum of six weeks.
The 6-foot, 280-pounder from Gaithersburg, Md., had 43 tackles last season, including three for losses and one sack. He also recovered one fumble.
In his place the Falcons are looking for a combination of redshirt freshman Travis Bunner (6-2, 310) of Parkersburg and true freshmen Jack Charles (6-1, 325) and Nick Schrader (6-2, 280) to split time filling the void.
Both Charles and Schrader have been impressive early on in camp. Charles is from Gateway High School in Pittsburgh where he helped lead the Gators to a pair of WPIAL title game appearances, while Schrader comes to Fairmont from Jonathan Alder High School in Plain City, Ohio where he played for former Falcon great Barry Blackstone and helped lead the Pioneers to the playoffs three straight times.
o o o o o o
Fairmont State’s offensive line has been bolstered by the addition of Marshall University transfer Josh Evans. The 6-4, 320-pound junior offensive guard started all 12 games for the Thundering Herd as a redshirt freshman in 2007 and earned Conference USA All-Freshman honors from league coaches and media members.
In 2008 Evans started the first six games of the season for Marshall at left guard, but lost his first-string position to Chad Schofield in the final six games.
The former Class A All-State selection from Fayetteville High School considered transferring to Football Championship Subdivision powers James Madison and Appalachian State, but academics played a major role in his decision to transfer to FSU. Had he decided to transfer to an out-of-state school, Evans stood to lose 21 to 25 credit hours toward his degree in sports management and marketing.
Right now Evans, who has two years of football eligibility remaining, is on track to complete work on his bachelor’s degree in May. By staying in West Virginia all of his hours will transfer.
He plans to begin work toward his master’s degree in the fall of 2010.
Evans has been slowed early on in his first FSU camp by a strained quadriceps muscle, but should be ready to go for the Falcons’ opener Aug. 27 at Duvall-Rosier Field against Clarion (Pa.) University.
Duane Cochrane
Richardson back with FSU after injury
- Duane Cochrane
-
-
Chasing a dream
Fairmont State University senior defensive end Luke Black has had a whirlwind few months since his college career ended last November.
This past weekend things for the talented 6-5, 280-pound youngster from Marietta, Ohio, got a whole lot more interesting. -
Spring smearing: PHOTOS
Fairmont State’s Maroon defense set the tone early, forcing four turnovers on the first seven drives of the White offense, and as a result rolled to a 53-32 victory in the Falcons’ annual Maroon-White spring game here Saturday afternoon at Duvall-Rosier Field.
-
Fisher inspires at annual FSAA Banquet: VIDEO
Clarksburg native and current Florida State University head football coach Jimbo Fisher had an inspiring, heartfelt and informative message for those in attendance Saturday evening at the 50th annual Fairmont State Athletic Association Scholarship Banquet which was held at the Falcon Center.
-
Shepherd eliminates Lady Falcons, 83-58
Less than eight minutes into its quarterfinal round West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament basketball game with fifth-seeded Fairmont State here at the Charleston Civic Center, one got the feeling it was going to be fourth-seeded Shepherd University's day.
-
Lady Falcons top OVU in tourney opener: SLIDESHOW
The last two times Fairmont State’s Lady Falcons have won the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament, FSU has struggled at home in its opening-round game.
-
Champs crowned: PHOTOS
For 33 minutes, Fairmont State’s Lady Falcons gave league-leading West Virginia Wesleyan all it wanted and more here Saturday afternoon in the regular-season finale for both teams at the Joe Retton Arena.
-
Late surge helps Bobcats upend FSU: PHOTOS
With the West Virginia Conference’s leading scorer Steve Custis on the bench nursing a badly sprained ankle and second-leading scorer Isaac Thornton dealing with a heavy heart, Fairmont State University’s men’s basketball team wrapped up the regular season here Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena with a hard-fought 70-67 loss to visiting West Virginia Wesleyan.
-
Buzzer bummer: PHOTOS
Veteran Concord University coach Kenny Osborne and his Lady Mountain Lions could have been arrested Saturday afternoon at the Joe Retton Arena for thievery.
That’s because third-place Concord literally stole a victory away from fourth-place Fairmont State, ending the Lady Falcons’ winning streak at seven games. -
Mountain Lions use rally to topple FSU: PHOTOS
Fairmont State lost the services of senior leading scorer Steve Custis for much of the second half here Saturday afternoon and as a result lost the lead and eventually the game, 77-66, to visiting Concord University at the Joe Retton Arena.
-
Snyder scores 42 as Lady Falcons roll
Fairmont State All-American candidate Kaitlin Snyder followed up arguably her poorest game of the season Saturday with her best Monday night at the Joe Retton Arena.
- More Duane Cochrane Headlines
-
