Sept. 11, 2000
Notre Dame, Ind. – Notre Dame junior quarterback Arnaz Battle will have surgery Tuesday to repair the fractured navicular bone in his left wrist.
Battle will have a screw inserted in the wrist — and the wrist will be immobilized in a cast for at least two weeks. He remains out of action indefinitely. Irish coach Bob Davie said Monday Battle is expected to miss at least six to eight weeks and may miss the remainder of the season.
“This provides the best chance for the injury to heal with the least amount of problems,” said Notre Dame athletic trainer Jim Russ.
Battle’s injury occurred on the first play of the game Saturday against top-ranked Nebraska — as he tried to break his fall after being knocked to the ground following a pass attempt. The fracture was detected in X-rays taken Sunday.
The Shreveport, La., product has started the first two games of the 2000 season at quarterback for the Irish, completing 13 of 31 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception. He currently leads the team in rushing with 157 net yards on 26 attempts.
Davie also announced after practice Monday that sophomore Gary Godsey will start at quarterback Saturday against Purdue. Freshman Matt LoVecchio took snaps with the number-two offense during practice Monday.
Godsey did not play at all in 1999 as a freshman, working both as a quarterback and at tight end — then he spent spring drills as the top backup behind Battle. He will be playing in his first collegiate game Saturday against Purdue.
Here’s what Davie had to say following practice Monday:
(on Arnaz Battle’s impending wrist surgery): “I think the right decision has been made. That is what is best for Arnaz. We are not even going to risk it until it is fully healed, so it is still indefinite. It is an absolute minimum of six to eight weeks, but with each one of these types of injuries, it heals a little bit differently. The surgeon will know more tomorrow.”
(on Gary Godsey being named the starting quarterback against Purdue): “We made a decision to go with Gary Godsey as our starting quarterback. He has been in the program as a quarterback for a year now. I thought he had a fine spring. Playing in the spring game, he looked solid to me. He is a composed young man, and I think right now, he gives us the best opportunity to win. It is not like we will have anyone in the bullpen warming up for him. He is our starting quarterback. I expect him to play the whole game against Purdue.”
(on freshman quarterback Matt LoVecchio): “We worked Matt LoVecchio at second quarterback. We feel Matt, at this point, has a little better grasp of what we are doing offensively as far as all the checks and getting us in the right formations. We kept Carlyle Holiday and Jared Clark at the offensive end of the field. This is a short-term thing with Matt as the second quarterback. We just felt today that Matt has the best grasp of the offense.”