WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest's vaunted running game has taken some serious hits after one game. <br>
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Chris Barclay and Cornelius Birgs hurt ankles on their first carries last Saturday at Boston College, and Dominic Anderson was injured on his second carry of the game. <br>
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Anderson tore a ligament in his left knee and is lost for the season, Barcley and Birgs were able to get back into the game, but weren't 100 percent. <br>
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``You hope and pray the young guys can get healthy,'' coach Jim Grobe said as his team prepares for No. 14 North Carolina State on Saturday. ``Hopefully by Saturday they'll be ready to go. Young guys can usually heal pretty quick. We'll plan on them being at full strength.'' <br>
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Barclay and Birgs combined to rush for 963 yards last season with 13 touchdowns as the Demon Deacons (1-0) were the top rushing team in the Atlantic Coast Conference for the second straight year. <br>
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While Grobe hopes that his two sophomore running backs will be healthy, he has a backup plan. Fullback Nick Burney, who played some at tailback last season and rushed for 412 yards, can play tailback if needed. <br>
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``He is kind of a dual guy for us,'' Grobe said. <br>
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Grobe can count on Barclay and Birgs not shying away from getting back on the field. <br>
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``Cornelius and Chris were able to go back in there and played with that pain,'' Grobe said. ``That showed me a lot about those two guys.'' <br>
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NOTES: Offensive tackle Mark Moroz, who injured his right knee during the preseason, was back at practice this week and could play Saturday. ... About 3,500 tickets remain for the game. ... The last time Groves Stadium sold out was in 1988 against North Carolina.
