Ten days before starting the beginning of a 3-month grind, Williams Field’s football team is already loaded with walking wounded.

Starting running back Alex Howard received some good news this week. His ailing foot isn’t broken, only a mid-foot sprain. A three-year starter who ran for 1,400 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2010, Howard will be  a game-time decision for the season-opener against Maricopa next Friday night. Black Hawks coach Steve Campbell said Howard wouldn’t need a full week of practice given his knowledge of the offense in order to play, he also doesn’t want to take chances on Maricopa’s FieldTurf field.

“I don’t want him playing week 1 and miss weeks 2, 3, 4,” he said. “That’s kind of what we’re thinking.”

Senior tight end Tyler Polanco is having an MRI this week, and another starter has been out with a concussion. None of the nicks, however, are expected to last far into the season.

“Injuries in preseason means you can develop depth,” Campbell said. “Hopefully  that’s the silver lining right now, to get other guys reps and help us down the road.”

Tags: Alex Howard, Steve Campbell, williams field