This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Provo • Brigham Young University nose tackle Romney Fuga suffered a major knee injury that will sideline him for the rest of the season after being blocked from behind in the second quarter of the Cougars' 27-13 loss Saturday to Nevada by Wolf Pack senior offensive lineman John Bender.
What isn't known yet is whether the Western Athletic Conference will punish Bender for the below-the-waist hit that did not draw a penalty flag from officials although it happened in relatively open space about five yards away from the ball carrier.
WAC spokesperson Jason Erickson said commissioner Karl Benson and supervisor of officials Jim Blackwood were reviewing the incident Monday afternoon and would have a decision whether to sanction Bender or the game officials later in the week.
BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall called the hit "not a positive football play" after the game, but stopped short of calling it dirty. Bender hit Fuga from behind and around the knees during a screen pass.
"We promote sportsmanship in our program, and clean play," Mendenhall said when asked if he would sanction one of his own players if they did what Bender did to Fuga. "… I am not going to make a decision for [Nevada] coach [Chris] Ault, nor really address what I would do other than re-emphasize sportsmanship."
Ault told the Reno Gazette-Journal on Monday that Bender should have been penalized for clipping on the play, but it wasn't a cheap shot.
"John didn't do it maliciously. He didn't do it on purpose. It's a reaction to a play," the coach said.
An MRI on Fuga's knee revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn lateral collateral ligament that will require surgery. The 6-foot-2, 307-pound native of Huntington Beach, Calif., will probably miss spring camp and is expected to return in time for 2011 fall camp.
Future without Fuga
Because Fuga is lost for the season, freshman Graham Rowley will be asked to give up his redshirt year and will be trained as a backup defensive end. Sophomore Jordan Richardson replaced Fuga in the game and might start in the spot Friday against USU.
Sophomore Eathyn Manumaleuna, a starting defensive end who played nose tackle his freshman year before a church mission, could be moved back to the position. If so, Thomas Bryson and Matt Putnam would be in the mix to take Manumaleuna's starting defensive end position.
Briefly
Outside linebacker Jameson Frazier broke his thumb in the second quarter on the same hand that was already in a cast, but played the rest of the game Saturday. … Mendenhall said "there is not a definitive answer yet" regarding whether starting free safety Steven Thomas will play against USU after Thomas missed the Nevada game with a concussion.
Friday's game
P BYU (1-3) at Utah State (1-3), 6 p.m.
TV • ESPN