The Texas Tech football team was able to avoid a long-term injury to running back Cameron Dickey, but the junior will be out of action for a while.
Dickey came out of last week's 29-7 win over Colorado midway through the first half with an ankle injury. Head coach Joey McGuire told media in Boulder that X-rays were negative, and they determined it was a high ankle sprain.
"It's probably going to be two to three weeks," McGuire said of the time he expects Dickey to miss.
Texas Tech is in its open week, giving the Red Raiders some time to let Dickey rest and recover. McGuire still anticipates him being out for the Oct. 17 game against Arizona State and the Oct. 24 game at Cincinnati, putting his return to action around the Oct. 31 home game against Arizona.
With Dickey out and backup quarterback Thomas Castellanos dealing with eligibility issues (his hearing in Kentucky was rescheduled for Oct. 14), the Red Raiders had to go with Quinten Joyner on short-yardage running situations against the Buffaloes, which didn't have the positive results for which they were hoping for.
While Texas Tech hopes to have Castellanos back in by the time the Sun Devils come to town, they need to recalibrate the offense a bit to account for Dickey's absence. That starts with more reps for J'Koby Williams and Joyner in practice (freshman Ashton Rowden will move up to the No. 3 spot on the depth chart), and probably opening up the playbook a bit more when they only need a yard or two.
"Schematically, it changes a little bit," McGuire said. "We've got to be more creative with some of the things we're doing ... whether it's running the football or more creative with (tight end Terrance Carter Jr.) in the passing game to get the first downs in short yardage."
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Here's how long Texas Tech football could be without injured Cam Dickey
