There comes a point when even a loyal soldier realizes some wars are lost causes — they aren’t worth investing in anymore.
That point might have come for Lobo safety Ian Clark, the UNM football team’s most raucous and experienced defensive leader.
A source close to Clark is “90 percent sure” Clark is out for the season after his left shoulder was re-injured for the second time in less than a month. The injury occurred during the Lobos’ season-opener against Texas A&M.
If Clark’s out, UNM’s secondary, which gave up 361 passing yards to A&M, takes another untimely blow as they head into Saturday’s game against Tulsa.
Head coach Mike Locksley didn’t refute or substantiate the claim about Clark.
“He’s week-to-week,” he said. “I’m not a doctor. That’s not my expertise. Ultimately, it’s going to be Ian’s decision.”
Clark, who hasn’t practiced all week and has been in a sling, was escorted off the field at the Texas A&M game. He won’t play in UNM’s home-opener against Tulsa.
This is just the latest strand to a string of setbacks for Clark. After the shoulder kept him out of contact drills during spring camp, Clark was cleared for all activities heading into fall camp. But a day before the Lobos strapped up in full pads, Clark popped his left shoulder out of place again at practice.
Shortly after, Locksley told the Albuquerque Journal that Clark would rehabilitate his shoulder and be ready for UNM’s matchup with Texas A&M.
“The doctors have told him he could play with it, put it in a harness, and he would not further damage it,” Locksley said in the Journal article. “I haven’t talked to him, but I got the impression he’s going to try to play with it.”
Clark was unable to comment on Thursday.
Over the years, Clark has been plagued by recurring shoulder injuries, both to his right and left shoulders. In 2008, Clark had offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. The year prior, he underwent a procedure to correct the problem in his left shoulder, the same one he dislocated on Saturday in the Lobos’ 41-6 loss to Texas A&M.
At Tuesday’s media luncheon, Locksley skated around the topic, not really giving a definitive answer as to whether Clark would choose to have season-ending surgery to fix the problem, or opt for rehab with the outside chance of a return this year.
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“With that shoulder, we knew going in he would go as long as he possibly (could),” Locksley said. “The key for him right now is to get his strength back and some of his range of motion.”
For Clark, it’s been a seemingly everlasting battle to stay healthy and on the field. In his career, he’s missed time in at least six games because of nagging shoulder injuries.
Still, the coaching staff and Clark have yet to make a final decision, erring on the side of caution for now.
Locksley added on Thursday that it’s not atypical for players to compete with dislocated shoulders. Former cornerback DeAndre Wright returned to play for the Lobos last year after a similar injury, but such a return could lead to further injury and possibly long-term damage for Clark.
