EMU WR Nick Devereaux expected to miss several weeks with injury, Harold Mack returning to practice
The Eagles got bad news out of the weekend as the top wideout will be down for some time, dampening the news that another is getting healthy.
It’s a revolving door of injuries for Eastern Michigan at wide receiver this week, as senior Nick Devereaux is expected to be out for several weeks after leaving the loss vs. Wisconsin, head coach Chris Creighton said on Monday.
And as Devereaux will drop out of the lineup for the foreseeable future, sophomore Harold Mack is expected to return to practice on Tuesday after he missed the Wisconsin game.
Devereaux’s absence will be particularly notable for Eastern Michigan (1-3, 1-0 MAC) as the senior wideout is the leading receiver for the Eagles through four games with 15 catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns. Getting Mack, the No. 2 producing wideout so far (despite missing a game) back in the lineup could be a nice boost to offset that, plus wideout Benson Prosper and tight end Josh Long should be capable of soaking up more targets.
But losing Devereaux and his skillset for any stretch will be a strain on the Eagles’ passing attack in whatever form.
“That hurts, you know,” Creighton said. “He's one of our leaders, and, you know, our best deep threat. He can run really, really fast. But he'll be back. But we'll miss him.”
Devereaux went down fairly early against Wisconsin, on EMU’s second series — and after he’d already hauled in a touchdown to cap Eastern Michigan’s first drive.
The precise nature of Devereaux’s injury isn’t clear but he went into the injury tent on Saturday and came out later without his shoulder pads or jersey on and his right arm supported by a sling.
Andrew Graham
An exact timeline for Devereaux’s return hasn’t been laid out, but Creighton shared that the wideout will miss a decent chunk of time but is expected to get back in the lineup at some point later in the season.
“I don't know for sure on Nick, but it'll be longer than a week,” Creighton said. “It'll be longer than a week, but he'll be back before it's over.”
Mack had left the Michigan State game a week prior after withstanding a big hit over the middle, causing a fumble.
He’d gone to the injury tent at that early point in the third quarter and did not return to the game for Eastern Michigan. And while the nature of his injury isn’t clear, Mack is expected to be back practicing on Tuesday in a good sign he’ll be available on Saturday.
“He'll be practicing tomorrow,” Creighton said of the sophomore wideout.
And without Devereaux, even as Mack filters back in to the lineup, the likes of Long (15 catches, 143 yards) and Prosper (11, 111) loom large as pass catchers who can step up while EMU is without its top wideout.
