UPDATED: Injuries force Jabari Dean, Jesse Kroll out for season; Matt Losiniecki out vs. N.C. State
UPDATED: Sept. 26, 6:30 p.m.
Injuries continue to take a toll for the Central Michigan football team, this time on the defensive side of the ball.
Backup sophomore nose tackle Jabari Dean will miss the rest of the season with a groin injury, while starting junior defensive tackle Matt Losiniecki will sit out Saturday's game at North Carolina State (3:30 p.m., ESPN3) with a shoulder injury, coach Dan Enos said Tuesday.
On Thursday, Enos added sophomore receiver Jesse Kroll and sophomore defensive lineman Ben Randle to that list.
There was no indication as to when Losiniecki would return, with Enos describing the injury as "pretty significant." It will be the second-straight week without the 6-foot-3, 290-pound Losiniecki, who suffered the injury during CMU's Sept. 14 game at UNLV. He has not played since, with redshirt freshman Kelby Latta getting most of the reps. Latta, who has four tackles in four games this season, started against Toledo and is expected to start Saturday at N.C. State.
Losiniecki played in all 13 games on the defensive line last season and had recorded five tackles in the first two games.
Dean, named team Defensive Rookie of the Year last season as a freshman, also missed Saturday's game against Toledo. After beginning the season banged up, missing CMU's Aug. 31 season opener at Michigan, Dean had settled into a backup role at nose tackle behind junior Leterrius Walton and sophomore Shafer Johnson. He returned to combine for four tackles in the Sept. 7 home opener against New Hampshire and Sept. 14 game at UNLV.
With both out, depth was issue in Saturday's 38-17 loss to Toledo. The Rockets coaching staff took full advantage, rushing back David Fluellen 32 times for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Enos admitted Tuesday losing both had a big effect on Toledo's run-game and ability to move the ball.
"At times our defense played well and at times in the second half we couldn't get off the field," Enos said during Monday's Mid-American Conference coaches teleconference. "We're a little banged up over there, but there are no excuses. We've got to continue to play better and get better each week."
Kroll sat out the season opener at Michigan due to injury. He had three catches for 54 yards against New Hampshire and two catches for 31 yards against UNLV, offering another option at receiver.
Additionally, junior safety Kevin King (shoulder) is questionable for Saturday after missing the Toledo game.
CMU (1-3) is already without starting quarterback Cody Kater (separated collarbone), tailback Zurlon Tipton (broken ankle) and left guard Jake Olson (broken wrist). Kater is expected back in the next few weeks, while Tipton and Olson are both done for the season.
Contact Aaron McMann: aaron.mcmann@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @AaronMcMann.
