NC State QB MJ Morris will not play at Louisville. Jack Chambers will start for Pack
N.C. State will be without freshman quarterback MJ Morris for the Wolfpack’s game at Louisville.
NCSU said Saturday that Morris, twice named the ACC Rookie of the Week, would be sidelined with a lower-body injury for the Pack’s game at Louisville Saturday. His status for N.C. State’s game at North Carolina for its regular-season finale is uncertain.
Jack Chambers will be the starter Saturday against the Cardinals, with Ben Finley listed as the backup and Zo Wallace third on the depth chart.
Morris was injured during the Wolfpack’s 21-20 loss to Boston College last week, although he did not leave the game. Center Grant Gibson, linebacker Payton Wilson running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye and tight end Trent Pennix also sustained injuries during the physical game at Carter-Finley Stadium and missed the Louisville game.
The Cardinals played without senior quarterback Malik Cunningham, out with a shoulder injury after being injured last week at Clemson.
Morris was listed as the first-team quarterback on the depth chart released by NCSU early this week. Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren and offensive coordinator Tim Beck were asked during the week how Morris was responding in the Pack’s practices after his spotty. freshman-like performance against BC.
“Because he played so well in the other six quarters I think we had unrealistic expectations that he’d never make a mistake,” Doeren said Thursday. “He made a few, he’s going to learn from it, and he’s going to be better for it. That’s all you can ask.”
Doeren said Thursday he would not discuss any injuries.
Morris’ absence is another twist in a season that has had Devin Leary, chosen the ACC preseason player of the year, go out with a pectoral injury that required surgery. Chambers took over as the starter but then was replaced by Morris, who rallied the Pack past Virginia Tech and then to a win over Wake Forest, throwing three TD passes in each game in earning the ACC weekly honors.
Morris carried the ball 13 times against Boston College and absorbed some hard tackles including a big hit from safety Cole Batson with 7:43 left in the fourth quarter — Batson was called for a personal foul.
Morris passed and ran for touchdowns in the first quarter as the Pack took an early 14-0 lead but generated little offense the last three quarters.
“He played a little bit like a freshman starting his second game at times,” Beck said Wednesday. “I think he tried to do too much at times. ... He doesn’t have to be Superman, he doesn’t have to make incredible plays. He just has to distribute the football to the correct guys at the correct times.”
The Pack lost Leary to the pectoral injury in the Florida State game on Oct. 8. Chambers, a graduate student and transfer from Charleston Southern, came in to help rally the Wolfpack to a 19-17 victory.
Chambers started the next two games, against Syracuse and Virginia Tech. Morris took over against Virginia Tech with the Pack trailing 21-3 in the second half and sparked a 22-21 victory with 265 yards passing and three TDs.
Morris had an efficient game against Wake Forest in the Pack’s 30-21 win, passing for 210 yards and another three touchdowns.
This story was originally published November 19, 2022 at 2:17 PM.
