Penn State DE Hayes likely out for the season

From NCAA College Football Information & Resource

September 07, 2008

Penn State redshirt junior defensive end Jerome Hayes had possibly played his last game of the season Saturday when the Nittany Lions crushed Oregon State, 45-14.

Hayes sustained a serious left knee injury in the second half of that game during a punt return when he got clipped by a Beaver as he streaked down the left side of the field. He tried to stand up but dropped on the turf and threw his helmet in agony. Last season, Hayes' season was also cut short after tearing his right knee ligament.

"He's got the other knee. An ACL," PSU head coach Joe Paterno said in the post-game press conference. "They'll have to have it operated."

The injury is a big blow for the Nittany Lions who are already without tackles Devon Still, Chris Baker and Phil Taylor. Still is nursing a broken left ankle while Baker and Taylor were both dismissed from the team due to off-field problems. In addition, defensive linemen Maurice Evans and Abe Koroma are still in limbo following their involvement in another off-field issue.

"He's worked so hard to be back. But it looks like he'll be done for the year," Paterno said of Hayes. "When I say that, I haven't heard that from the doctor but he did tell me it was the other knee and it was an ACL. Ordinarily, that's it for a while."

Hayes contributed two tackles before sitting out the rest of the Oregon State game.

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