Hofstra University Head Football Coach Dave Cohen announced today that starting quarterback Bryan Savage will miss the 2008 season due to a herniated disc in his back. Junior Cory Christopher (Miami, Florida), who replaced Savage in last week's season opener, will now continue as the starting quarterback for the Pride.
The senior signal-caller from Springfield, Pennsylvania was scratched from the Pride's season opener at BCS-member Connecticut last Thursday approximately 15 minutes before game time after notifying the Hofstra medical staff of numbness in his feet. An MRI taken late Friday revealed the severity of the injury. Savage is expected to undergo surgery in the near future.
"My heart really goes out to Bryan," Cohen said. "He worked very hard to prepare for this season. He is a leader and has given so much of himself for the program including spending most of the summer on campus preparing for his senior year."
A January 2007 transfer from Coffeyville Community College, Savage started all 11 games for the 7-4 Pride last season. He ranked fourth in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) and was 13th in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in passing yards, and was fourth in the CAA and 15th in the nation in total offense. Savage completed 232-of-367 passes for 2,668 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, posting the sixth-best, single-season passing yards total in Hofstra history. He recorded six games with 250 or more passing yards including three 300-yard contests, and tallied 10 games with a completion percentage of above 60 percent, including a school-record 15-for-17 (88.2) against William and Mary. Savage completed 31-of-50 passes for a season-best 325 yards against New Hampshire at Shuart Stadium last October.
Savage played the 2006 season at Coffeyville CC in Kansas where he served as team captain and earned all-conference honors. He attended the University of Wisconsin for two years, red-shirting in 2004 and practicing with the team in 2005.
Christopher, like Savage, came to Hofstra in 2007 through the junior college system, playing at nearby Nassau Community College in Garden City, New York. An All-American honorable mention at Nassau, Christopher was named to the all-conference first team and was selected conference Offensive Player of the Year after passing for 1,181 yards and eight touchdowns in 2006. He was an all-conference second team pick in 2005. The American High School (Miami Lakes, Florida) graduate was named to the All-Dade County team as a senior.
"While we certainly feel for Bryan we do have a person in Cory with the leadership and physical abilities to take over," Cohen commented. "I commended Cory for stepping in last week on short notice and having taken only about 25 percent of the reps at quarterback in preparation for the game. I thought it was a courageous effort. Having red-shirted last season Cory knows the system very well. I have a lot of confidence in him."
The Pride, who are off this Saturday, return to action on Saturday, September 13 for the home opener at Shuart Stadium against the University at Albany. Gime time is 7 p.m. Season tickets and individual game tickets for Hofstra Football can be purchased in advance by calling the Hofstra Box Office at (516) 463-TIXX.(8499).
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