LB Semisi Fakasiieiki suffers injury in Monday's practice
Projected Purdue starting "mike" linebacker Semisi Fakasiieiki was carted off the field with an injury late in practice on Monday.
Fakasiieiki, a super senior, writhed in pain as he was attended to by trainers. A cart was summoned to the field. Teammates surrounded Fakasiieiki and shouted out well wishes as he was whisked away for further examination.
"It's tough," said co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Brad Lambert. "Anytime you have a guy go down, then you're not sure what is going on with him. They are going to take him over to the hospital and X-ray him and see exactly what is wrong with him.
"It's always tough, right? I tell the guys all the time: Hey, look, tomorrow isn't guaranteed. He didn't show up here today thinking this might be his last practice. I don't know if it is. But that's the mentality you have to have. You gotta play fast, take advantage of every opportunity to get better. You tell the guys that all the time. It changes week-to-week, day-to-day. That next-man-up mentality, you gotta be prepared to get good reps, mental reps, in-practice reps. You gotta be prepared when your number is called."
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Lambert said fifth-year senior Kieren Douglas has done a good job behind Fakasiieiki at middle linebacker.
"It's 1-A and 1-B," said Lambert. "He has done really well.
"We do have pretty good depth at linebacker, which is a blessing for us right now in a situation like this if you do lose a player for an extended period."
Senior Jaylan Alexander gives the unit flexibility, too. He is coming off hip surgery that caused him to miss the spring. But Alexander has looked good in camp and is being trained at Will and Mike. Auburn sophomore transfer O.C. Brothers is being cross-trained, too, working at Will and Sam.
Lambert also mentioned sophomore Jacob Wahlberg, redshirt freshmen and Clyde Washington and Ben Kreul as players who bolster depth.
"It was tough, man," said Alexander after practice today. "'I've been here four years. This is my senior year. (Fakasiieiki) was here before me. So I've been with him, I've grown with him, I've been around him in the same room for years. So, just seeing him go down, it sucks, you know, it hurts me in my soul. That's my brother. I'm praying for him and I hope everything is real."
Added junior linebacker Jalen Graham: "That was tough. We just have to pray for him and be there for him."
The nature of the injury is unknown at this time for a player who is a team leader.
Purdue's linebacking unit has shown potential in training camp, with Fakasiieiki on the first-team along with Graham and Brothers. Alexander also will be a key member of the unit with true freshman Yanni Karlaftis showing potential.
Fakasiieiki has played in 28 career games with five starts. Last season, the 6-2, 230-pound Compton, Calif., native played in five games and made one start with six tackles. Fakasiieiki has 52 career tackles with 4.5 TFLs and a sack.
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