N.C. State could find out on Thursday if Nate Irving, an injured linebacker, will be able to play in the coming college-football season.
Irving will meet then with doctors who performed surgery on one of his legs, which was broken in a car accident in late June. Irving has already met with other specialists who treated his other injuries suffered in the wreck.
"We'll find out Thursday if he's going to make it back sometime this year or if it's going to be another year," Coach Tom O'Brien of N.C. State said.
O'Brien has not set practice plans for Irving should he be cleared to return to football. Irving reported to football practice on Aug. 2 but returned home to Wallace to continue recovery.
"I'm just waiting to see what happens on Thursday," O'Brien said. "It's not only the breaks (but) the punctured lung and everything that has to heal. Then you have to start a rehab program and get back in shape.
"It takes a little longer to get back in shape (after extended time off from conditioning). He's got to go through that whole thing to get in shape if he's cleared."
Irving also suffered a collapsed lung in the wreck. He was one of N.C. State's top defensive players last season in amassing 84 tackles despite missing three games because of injuries.
The N.C. State coaching staff rated Irving its No. 1 defensive player after spring practice.
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