The Minnesota Duluth football team's 70-24 victory over Concordia-St. Paul last week didn't come without a cost.
That's because UMD captain Joe Akey suffered a season-ending knee injury.
All losses hurt, but this one was even more painful given what Akey has been through after the defensive end from Merrill, Wis., suffered a season-ending injury to his other knee in the 2011 season opener at Augustana.
The Bulldogs take on those same Vikings at 6 p.m. today in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference matchup at Malosky Stadium. Akey couldn't be reached for comment.
"Obviously it's a very disappointing thing," UMD coach Bob Nielson said. "To go through what he did, and then to have something bad happen again, you really feel for him. Now other guys on our defense have to step up in his place."
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Akey had three tackles this season and was second on the team with 6½ sacks in 2010.
While Akey is listed as a senior, the good news is that he still has at least a year of eligibility remaining, if he chooses to go through another year of rehabilitation and training.
The Bulldogs will adjust the same way they did last year, with former Duluth East standout Buma Foncham seeing extended minutes at nose guard and 6-foot-1, 275-pound junior Chris Vandervest sliding over to defensive end.
"This is going to be a good college football game," Nielson said of the matchup with Augie. "These are two teams that are a lot alike. Both have a balanced offensive attack. Both play an aggressive style of defense, and both execute well in the kicking game. It's going to be one of those games where every play is important, and we're going to have to play it that way."
HAM RECOVERING FROM HAND INJURY
Former Duluth Denfeld star C.J. Ham was off to a strong start this fall for Augustana before breaking his hand before the Vikings' Week 2 game at Mary.
Ham's hand is still in a cast, but he could be ready to play today. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound running back was redshirted last fall. He rushed nine times for 48 yards in the 2012 opener against Northern and has great power and good mobility for his size.
