Duke football loses starting center Jack Wohlabaugh to ACL injury that needs surgery
Duke’s offensive line took a huge hit Wednesday when it was announced starting center Jack Wohlabaugh has been ruled out with a knee injury.
Wohlabaugh, a 6-4, 305-pound senior, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury to the right knee, the school said and will need surgery.
Duke also announced that cornerback Ken Torain, a redshirt sophomore, will be out of action indefinitely and will undergo surgery for an injured right shoulder.
Wohlabaugh started nine games last season before suffering a season-ending ankle injury that required surgery. Duke’s best offensive lineman, he earned honorable mention All-ACC honors in 2019.
“He’ a great person, a great leader, one of the more mature young men I’ve been around,” Duke coach David Cutcliffe said Wednesday on his weekly radio show.
Wohlabaugh, from Akron, Ohio, is a former transfer from Ohio State. He took over as Duke’s starting center during the 2018 season after an injury to Zach Harmon and remained the starter after Harmon’s return. Duke scored 40 or more points in five games in 2018, tying a school record for a season.
Wohlabaugh received the Dan “Tiger” Hill Award as the team’s most outstanding offensive lineman and the Sonny Falcone Award for his commitment to strength training and conditioning in the 2019 season.
Wohlabaugh, called a “warrior” last year by Cutcliffe, was placed on the Outland Trophy watch list for 2020.
A year ago, Will Taylor took over at center when Wohlabaugh went out. Taylor, a 6-3, 305-pound redshirt junior, could again be the replacement as the Blue Devils prepare for the Sept. 12 opener at Notre Dame.
“It’s going to be a challenge but someone is going to step up, and I believe that,” Cutcliffe said on his radio show.
This story was originally published September 2, 2020 at 5:45 PM.
