As a college quarterback at Concordia University (Wis.), a sprained ankle never sidelined Tim Polasek from taking the field. He missed one game with chicken pox, but not an ankle issue.
Now the head coach at North Dakota State, the same may apply to Cam Miller, the NDSU starting quarterback. The Bison senior hurt his ankle in the second half last week against the University of North Dakota and there’s an element of doubt, not much, but still an element as to his availability Saturday at Southern Illinois.
At the least, Polasek said he wouldn’t hold Miller out as precautionary against a Saluki team that has struggled as of late. Even with the knowledge that backup Cole Payton is capable and experienced.
“Nope, I don’t think we’re good enough,” Polasek said. “I think we have to take everyone to the party that’s ready to rock-n-roll and Cam deserves the right to be the starter. I think there’s something to be said about a quarterback who goes out there and plays tough.”
He said Miller was “tentative” on it during Monday practice, wearing a protective boot although Polasek said he wasn’t required to wear it.
“We’ll be real patient with him today,” he said. “I don’t have a real good answer but I would be shocked if he doesn’t lace them up and play.”
The Bison will face an SIU team that is wounded, with the Salukis down to one quarterback on their roster in true freshman Jake Curry. Backup ET Harris was sidelined for the season in August practice, starter DJ Williams went down with a season-ending hand injury in mid-September, and last week top backup Hunter Simmons was lost for the year with a broken leg.
Three of SIU’s four captains have missed the last four games due to injuries in tight end Aidan Quinn, defensive end Dewey Greene and linebacker Colin Bohanek. None are in the two-deep depth chart this week.
It could test NDSU’s mental maturity in that the Bison are coming off a win over in-state rival North Dakota with a team that has lost three straight in convincing fashion.
“They have our full attention,” Polasek said. “I think the big thing is for us to continue to focus on us. We’ve got to be road-ready.”
There are signs SIU can move the ball despite the quarterback issues. In a statistical oddity, the Salukis outgained Illinois State 487-407 despite the lopsided 45-10 score. They had seven drives that ended inside the ISU 30-yard line, but the Salukis got only one touchdown and a field goal out of it.
They missed two field goals, had two turnovers and lost one possession on downs. Yet, SIU is one of only eight FCS teams this season not to lose a fumble and receiver Keontez Lewis, a transfer from the University of Wisconsin, leads the Missouri Valley Football Conference and ranks third in the FCS in receiving yards with 757.
Polasek said kicker Eli Ozick rolled his ankle in the UND game, was held out of practice on Monday but told him will be ready to go against the Salukis.
“Eli is one of these guys that if you let him kick 400 balls a night, he’s a really good worker,” Polasek said.
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