Running back Matt Dayes of NC State will be missing the remainder of the 2015 college football season with a foot injury, head coach Dave Doeren announced Thursday.
"I'm disappointed for Matt because he was having a really good year," Doeren stated in a release. "But in football you've got to have a 'next man up' mentality."
Dayes will undergo surgery on Friday after sitting out the second half of NC State's loss to Clemson last week with the ailment. Doeren said he practiced "very little" while rehabbing and trying to overcome the soreness of the injury.
The condition is unspecified as of yet, previously described as a toe injury. A medical specialist met with Dayes Thursday, but the school has yet to release the exact scale of the injury.
"Matt's a tough guy," Doeren said Thursday after practice. "His pain tolerance is incredibly high. He wanted to come back in the game on Saturday, but the docs just didn't feel that was the right thing to do."
Dayes currently leads the ACC in rushing touchdowns with 12, and his 865 rushing yards are good for third in the conference. He has rushed for the most yards per game by any Wolfpack runner (108.1) since Joe McIntosh in 1981.
After the dismissal of fellow halfback Shadrach Thornton on September 30th, Dayes became a crucial member of the team. Nevertheless, coach Doeren is "confident that his teammates will be ready to take on bigger roles and be successful."
Freshman Reggie Gallaspy II will most likely replace Dayes as the back for the Wolfpack. He has 123 yards and two scores on the ground in 2015 through 34 carries. Sophomore Dakwa Nichols could also possibly see touches when NC State (5-3, 1-3 ACC) takes on Boston College this Saturday.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett and wideout Jaylen Samuels are now more likely to dominate the offensive attack for NC State as the team takes on BC and Florida State in conference matchups the next two weeks.