Florida State quarterback E.J. Manuel sprained his non-throwing left shoulder in Saturday's 23-13 loss to top-ranked Oklahoma and doctors rechecked him again Monday to see if the injury was severe enough to keep him out of the Clemson game.
“It's a concern,” Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said Monday. “They are painful …. you've got to make sure it doesn't affect your throwing motion.”
Manuel, who was injured after being tackled on a running play, skipped his weekly media session to have the shoulder looked at by team specialists.
Fisher said after Saturday's game that it could be anywhere from a day or two to a couple of weeks before Manuel plays again. Redshirt freshman Clint Trickett would get his first start if Manuel can't go at No. 21 Clemson.
The Seminoles' already hard-hit receiving corps got yet another jolt Monday when Fisher announced that the team's second leading receiver this season, sophomore Scooter Haggins, requires surgery to repair a broken left hand suffered against the Sooners. Haggins, who has 11 catches on the season, will miss four to six weeks.
The Seminoles (2-1) may also be without receivers Bert Reed and Kenny Shaw for this weekend's critical ACC opener.
Reed is trying to shake off the effects of an ankle sprain suffered in a 62-10 win over Charleston Southern on Sept. 10 and Shaw was removed by ambulance early in the Oklahoma game after a vicious helmet-to-helmet collision with two Sooner defenders.
The Seminoles have been without junior wide receiver Willie Haulstead all season because of ongoing concussion symptoms.
Running back Chris Thompson, last year's leading rusher, has been hampered with a stress fracture in his back and hasn't displayed the explosiveness he exhibited last season.
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