The University of Maryland announced today that redshirt freshman offensive tackle Pete DeSouza suffered fractures of both legs Thursday night in an on-campus traffic accident.
According to campus police, DeSouza, a graduate of DeMatha and a resident of Silver Spring, was driving a motor scooter west on Campus Drive when a motorist turned left, into his path. The accident occurred near Stamp Student Union and Cole Field House. The driver of the vehicle was ticketed.
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DeSouza underwent surgery on Friday morning at Washington Hospital Center and will miss the rest of the season. He will not accompany the team for its game Saturday at Boston College. He does not have ligament damage, according to a source. His injuries are not expected to be career threatening.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Pete and his family, and we’ll help them anyway we can,” Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen said in a statement. “We hope he makes a speedy recovery.”
The injury is another blow to an offensive line that has been injury-riddled the last two seasons. The 6-foot-6, 310-pound DeSouza took over at right tackle after left tackle Justin Gilbert suffered a season-ending knee injury in a game at West Virginia.
True freshman Max Garcia (6-4, 290) is a likely replacement. Another option is redshirt freshman Nick Klemm (6-5, 290). St. John’s graduate Pete White (6-4, 330), a reserve redshirt freshman, received high marks this week from Friedgen and has the size to play tackle, but has worked primarily at guard.
