Pack's Wilson not ruled out for USF

Coach Tom O’Brien said Thursday that Harrison Beck will start at quarterback against South Florida, but N.C. State’s injury report didn’t rule out regular starter Russell Wilson’s return.

Wilson was listed as doubtful, which means he has a 25 percent chance of playing in Saturday’s game at Carter-Finley Stadium.

During his post-practice news conference, held about an hour before the injury report was released, O’Brien said Beck would start. O’Brien had named Beck as the starter Monday, when he announced that Wilson would not play because of injury.

“Right now Harrison Beck will start and we will go from there,” O’Brien said Thursday. “Hopefully he will play and play well. The whole game.”

The injury report did not specify Wilson's injury. After O’Brien declined to elaborate on Wilson’s injury on Monday, a source close to the program who asked for anonymity said Wilson injured his right (throwing) shoulder during the first half of last week’s win over East Carolina.

Safety Clem Johnson, whom O’Brien had said might miss the season with a broken jaw, was listed as probable in Thursday’s injury report, which means he has a 75 percent chance of playing. Johnson’s jaw was broken during a preseason scrimmage.