Running back Eduardo Clements out for season with injury

The Hurricanes had hoped to use the bye week to recover and rest up for the final four games of the regular season.

Not all went according to plan.

The team announced on Saturday morning that junior running back Eduardo Clements will miss the remainder of the season with an undisclosed injury. Though the exact nature of the injury was not revealed, it was one that Clements suffered last week against Florida State.

Though he will not return to the field this year, head coach Al Golden remains optimistic that Clements will make a full recovery and hopefully be ready to return in the spring.

“I feel really badly for Eduardo. He’s a heart and soul kid,” Golden said following practice on Saturday. “We’ll miss his toughness and his leadership, but he has to stay positive.”

Offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch shared similar sentiments, while mentioning that the other running backs will have to step up in his absence.

“It’s disappointing for him. Injuries are personal and I feel bad for [Clements],” he said. “Obviously it’s disappointing for the team because he was such a valuable part of our third downs, a valuable part of our program, and he’s a great leader.”

At the moment only senior Mike James and freshman Duke Johnson are listed on the depth chart at running back, but both Golden and Fisch confirmed that redshirt freshman Dallas Crawford will be listed as the third-string back.