Knee Surgery to Sideline Farmer for Two Games

Cal State Northridge tailback Jamal Farmer underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Wednesday.

In a one-hour procedure at Tarzana Medical Center Hospital, team doctor Lester Cohn removed a substantial amount of cartilage.

“It went super,” Cohn said. “He should be very good.”

Farmer, who missed last Saturday’s 16-14 win over UC Davis because of the injury, is expected to miss at least two more games.

“It depends on his pain,” Cohn said. “We hope he can play in a week or two.”

Farmer was unavailable for comment after the surgery but his mother, Kathryn, said he was optimistic about his recovery.

“He is a pretty positive person. He doesn’t look at it as bad luck,” she said. “It’s just another (adverse situation) he has to overcome.”

Coach Bob Burt was philosophical about the prospect of playing two more games without Farmer, a senior transfer from Hawaii who was expected to carry the team’s offensive load.

“There’s no reaction I can have,” Burt said, “except that that’s the way football is. We beat a decent Davis team without him. We’re not a one-man team. We proved it the other night with Jamal out and two of our better defensive players (Victor Myles and Eric Treibatch) out.”

Last week, Farmer said his knee bothered him after the first quarter of a 28-7 loss to Cal State Fullerton in which he gained just seven yards in 12 carries.

The former Granada Hills standout was able to practice last Thursday, but the pain in his knee prevented him from suiting up two days later.

In Farmer’s absence, Robert Trice, a junior transfer from Porterville College, ran for 109 yards in 25 carries and earned Matador offensive-player-of-the-week honors.

Despite lingering tightness in his hamstrings, Trice is expected to start Saturday against visiting San Francisco State.

Backup fullback Jess Garner, who gained 18 yards in six carries after Trice developed a cramp late in the Davis game, will remain the backup tailback.

Garner, a junior from Oak Park High, also will continue to replace Farmer on kickoff returns.

Against Davis, Garner ran back three kicks for 83 yards and was named special teams player of the week.

Safety Travis Hall, a freshman from Chaminade High, will move to fullback, backing up starter Jim Warren.

“Travis is a tenacious youngster,” Burt said. “And a very bright guy. He learns quickly and at 210 pounds he runs well.”

Although the Matadors lose one safety, they gain another--three-year starter Treibatch, formerly of Montclair Prep.

Treibatch’s recovery is extraordinary, considering he underwent spinal surgery July 29 and was not expected to play until the seventh game, Oct. 24.

“He’ll probably play two or three series,” Burt said. “We’ll let him get used to playing.

“There is a mental aspect to this along with movements and adjustments he has to make.”

Treibatch will spell either strong safety Kevin Carmichael or free safety Gerald Ponder, who earned Matador defensive-player-of-the-week honors for making an interception, six tackles, and a hit late in the game that forced a Davis receiver to drop the ball.

Defensive tackle Myles and backup linebacker Bryon Ward, with quadriceps contusions, are listed as probable for Saturday’s game.