Injuries Mounting at CSUN Practices : College football: Brian Hay, a Matador offensive lineman, suffers a lumbar sprain and is expected to be sidelined a week.

Offensive lineman Brian Hay gave his Cal State Northridge teammates a scare Monday night after he was knocked to the ground during practice.

With teammate Tony Simon’s leg pinned under him and the two players lying on the ground, team trainers attended to Hay until paramedics took him by ambulance to Granada Hills Community Hospital.

Because of his size--Hay is 6-foot-4, 285 pounds--X-ray technicians had difficulty getting clear pictures of Hay’s neck and had to X-ray him twice. Hay was injured at about 8:40, but it was not until 1:05 a.m. that hospital officials informed Northridge Coach Bob Burt the X-rays were negative.

Hay, a projected starter who transferred to Northridge last spring from Grossmont College, suffered a lumbar sprain and is expected to miss a week of practice.

Since fall drills began last Tuesday, two Northridge players have suffered injuries that required a hospital visit.

Linebacker Patrick Johnson suffered a spiral fracture of his ring finger Friday and is expected to miss the season. The senior from Crenshaw High will undergo surgery Thursday. Several screws and a pin will be inserted in his finger.

Johnson said he will apply for a medical redshirt in the hopes of gaining a year of eligibility for 1993.

Johnson was battling Angel Chavez for a starting outside linebacker position.

“It’s the type of thing you can’t do anything about,” Burt said.

“Somebody has to pick up the slack. You always feel bad for the player and you always feel badly for the team because we don’t have that much depth. It puts a damper on things when someone gets hurt on the first day (in pads) and is out for the rest of the year.”

Johnson was also the team’s long snapper. He will be replaced in that capacity by freshman quarterback Rino Marconi.

Among the team’s other injuries: Offensive lineman Jose Casillas and tight end David Clark are out for a week because of right-knee sprains; cornerback Michael Brown has a pulled hamstring and defensive lineman Victor Myles is sidelined because of a pulled groin.

Tailback Jamal Farmer, who stayed out of drills Monday because of a foot injury, participated Tuesday morning. Linebacker O.J. Ojomoh, sidelined by a calf injury, returned for the Tuesday night practice.