Spalding out with fractured clavicle, Hayes fills in
On the first run of Saturday’s game against Northern Illinois, sophomore running back Devon Spalding suffered a fractured clavicle. Spalding will be reevaluated early this week.
Junior running back Jahray Hayes filled in for Spalding, carrying the ball 29 times for 78 yards while picking up his first career touchdown.
“I just knew I had to go in there and step it up,” Hayes said. “We lost a good running back in Spalding, so I just knew I had to go out there and do it for my team.”
Head Coach John Bonamego praised Hayes for his efforts and said fans will be seeing Hayes in the backfield frequently while Spalding is sidelined.
“I thought Jahray did a great job,” Bonamego said. “He just got here in training camp. He didn’t have the benefit of spring practice or any of those things. He’s a strong runner, definitely a guy who can move the pile. You’re going to see a lot more of him moving forward with Spalding out.”
Junior running back Martez Walker is listed as the top back on the depth chart but only had two carries for five yards Saturday. He’s carried the ball five times in the past three weeks after a minor early-season injury.
Similar to Spalding, NFL running backs Adrian Peterson and Ryan Matthews have fractured their clavicles. The length of time off the field with this injury can vary greatly, depending on the severity of the fracture, according to a 2010 Louisville Orthopedics study.
The study found that the average return time for an NFL player suffering a fractured clavicle was 8.8 weeks, although some returned in as little as three weeks.
The clavicle is located between the ribcage and sternum and is more commonly referred to as the collarbone.
The Chippewas play their final regular season game Nov. 27 against Eastern Michigan, one day short of eight weeks from Saturday’s game.
For Hayes, he had his own issues to deal with. The junior college transfer from the City College of San Francisco was challenged by the weather conditions.
“That was the coldest game I’ve ever played,” Hayes said. “I’m from California. It’s scary to me, because I know it’s going to get worse.”
Hayes put extra attention on holding onto the ball in Saturday’s slippery conditions. He fumbled five times last season for San Francisco.
“Since it was slippery and wet out there, I pretty much had two hands on the ball at all times,” he said.
Hayes had the most rushing touchdowns in the California Community College Athletic Association last season with 21 scores on 212 attempts and 1,016 yards.
