Florida State defensive end Mario Edwards will not play this weekend when the top-ranked Seminoles head to North Carolina State. A concussion suffered during last weekend’s game against Clemson will force one of Florida State’s top defensive players to stay on the sideline.
Earlier this week Florida State lost defensive tackle Nile Lawrence-Stample for the remainder of the season due to a torn pectoral muscle. This latest injury knows means Florida State’s defensive line is cracking, but the Seminoles may be able to get by at least one more week. Defensive ends Chris Casher and Demarcus Walker will likely be used to fill the vacancy left by Edwards on the defensive line. Defensive tackle Eddie Goldman or Derrick Mitchell will be expected to fill the hole left by Lawrence-Stample.
“The ends have been great,” FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher said, according to The Orlando Sentinel. “We played the whole second half last week without them. And we’re getting [Justin Shanks] back in there also, so that helps us number wise.”
Florida state will also be without running back Mario Pender, himself a victim of a concussion last weekend. For now, Edwards and Pender are only scheduled to sit out this weekend and both will be evaluated next week.