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StumbleuponMIAMI FOOTBALL
Montgomery expects Raudabaugh to be 'full go'
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
OXFORD — Injuries to starting players are starting to nip at the heels of the Miami University football team, but coach Shane Montgomery is happy to note that Daniel Raudabaugh isn't part of the casualty list.
Miami's starting quarterback was sidelined for the final two series in the RedHawks' 16-6 loss last week at Michigan.
"Daniel is fine," Montgomery said Tuesday, Sept. 9, at his weekly press conference. "He just got dinged up, sandwiched between two guys. I expect he'll be full go."
The RedHawks, however, are likely to be without two starters when they play at home Saturday, Sept. 13, against the Buccaneers of Charleston Southern, a team from the Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA).
"Bob Gulley hurt his knee in the second quarter," Montgomery said of his sophomore offensive tackle. "He'll be out for at least two weeks ... Anything after that, we're unsure about because we do have that open week after the UC game."
Miami plays at Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 20, and then won't play again until Temple visits Oxford on Oct. 4.
Montgomery said he is unsure who will take Gulley's spot along the line.
"We put Ken Staudinger (a red-shirt freshman) in at left tackle (against Michigan)," the Miami coach noted. "He did OK at times, at other times he was out-matched. We're going to look at different combinations the next few days to decide who's going to go where."
On defense, sophomore Ben Bennett is expected to start at free safety in place of junior Jordan Gafford.
"Jordan will probably miss this week with a leg injury," Montgomery said. "It's been bothering him for the last couple weeks and he did not play much Saturday (at Michigan)."
Despite the injury and missed playing time, Gafford is tied for sixth on the team with six total tackles.
It will be Bennett's first start, but he is a familiar part of Miami's defense as part of the team's nickel package when the RedHawks use five defensive backs. He appeared in 12 games last year.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.
