Early injuries for NU

EVANSTON, Ill.-Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald announced today that four student athletes who were expected to compete for a spot on the team's two-deep will miss several weeks or the entire season due to injuries.

Three players -- junior safety David Arnold (Copley, Ohio/Copley), sophomore linebacker Roderick Goodlow (Dallas, Texas/W.H. Adamson) and freshman wide receiver Tony Jones (Flint, Mich./Grand Blanc)-- suffered injuries during preseason practice, while redshirt freshman linebacker Tim Riley (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) underwent surgery prior to the start of preseason practice.

The following is the update on the student-athlete's injury and expected availability for the Sept. 4 opener at Vanderbilt:

David Arnold (foot): Out

Roderick Goodlow (knee): Out

Tony Jones (shoulder): Out

Tim Riley (shoulder): Out

"We expect a full recovery for each of these players," said Fitzgerald. "Injuries are an unfortunate part of our game, but we've recruited well and we have players ready to step in and help us at their position groups and on special teams."