AMHERST — UMass junior linebacker Shane Huber will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
It’s the second such injury of the New Jersey native’s career. He missed the second half of the 2013 season and all of 2014 with the same injury.
“He’s gone for the year. He re-aggravated it,” UMass coach Mark Whipple said. “He’s our leader, vocal and the quarterback of the defense.”
Huber, who had 20 tackles and one interception, was the leader of the UMass defense from his inside linebacker spot.
Junior college transfer Colbert Calhoun and senior Vondell Langston are likely to see their workloads increased, while Steve Casali will take over making calls.
“Steve Casali is playing well. He’s a leader and he’s becoming more vocal where Shane was before,” Whipple said.
Whipple said other players, including Lucas Amato and Leon Flanagan, both of whom he mentioned specifically, could become part of the mix there as well.
Whipple hoped that linebacker/safety hybrid Teddy Lowery (undisclosed injury) would be back after missing the Old Dominion game.
“We’re not sure. He’s got a chance,” Whipple said. “He’s better than he’s been.”
On the other side of the ball, Whipple was noncommittal on the status of quarterback Ross Comis, who was knocked out in the first half of Friday’s loss at Old Dominion with an undisclosed lower body injury that left him on crutches.
“I don’t know. You never know on these things,” Whipple said.
Comis started Friday’s game and was expected to be part of a two-quarterback rotation with Andrew Ford. If Comis can’t play, Ford would assume the No. 1 position full time.
Whipple said safety Khary Bailey-Smith, fullback John Robinson-Woodgett and offensive lineman Elijiah Wilkinson are each expected to return to the lineup Saturday against Louisiana Tech (Gillette Stadium, 3:30 p.m.). They did not make the trip to Old Dominion.
Because of the missing players, freshmen played more than they had all season Friday. Whipple hoped it would prove beneficial in the future.
“We played 16 freshmen and they played 505 snaps which is almost 200 more than they have (in any previous game) this year,” Whipple said. “Those guys are getting better. They’re going to help us down the road.”
DUCASSE SIGNS — Former Minuteman offensive lineman Vlad Ducasse is back in the NFL.
The Baltimore Ravens signed the much-traveled second-round pick of the New York Jets on Tuesday.
According to BaltimoreRavens.com, he could be pressed into action quickly at right guard due to an injury to Rick Wagner.
This will be the seventh NFL season for Ducasse. He played his first four with the Jets and was with Minnesota (2014) and Chicago (2015) for one season each. He started 11 games for the Bears last year.
He was in camp with the Ravens this year but didn’t make the 53-man roster.
He joins receivers Tajae Sharpe (Tennessee) and Victor Cruz (New York Giants) as Minutemen in the pros.
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage