Goldrich injures shoulder, out for two weeks

University of New Hampshire starting quarterback and redshirt freshman Sean Goldrich was injured on the Wildcats’ second offensive play in their 44-7 loss to the University of Minnesota on Saturday in Minneapolis. 

According to Goldrich, as he was running the ball through the hole up the middle of the line of scrimmage, a defender initiated contact, driving their helmet into his right shoulder, at which point Goldrich says he heard a “crack.” Goldrich said he was diagnosed with a separated right shoulder and did not know the timetable for his return. Reports indicate it will take at least two weeks for recovery.

Goldrich had been suffering from a similar injury when he first arrived at UNH.

With Goldrich’s injury, sophomore Andy Vailas will be the interim starting quarterback.

Hailing from West Haven, Conn., Goldrich attended Notre Dame High School where he led their football program to a state championship his junior year.

“We were very motivated,” said Goldrich. “We had an excellent program that year, and a new head coach. We barely made the postseason, but ended up coming out on top.”

When recruitment season came around, he was most heavily sought for by UNH. Iowa and UMass also showed mild interest, but Goldrich decided to pursue UNH and said, “it has worked out really well.”

“I liked the UNH football tradition of playing hard, and the great coaching staff I met on my visit and was communicating with as I made my decision.”

The battle for the starting quarterback position this year was the main storyline surrounding the UNH football program as soon as the 2011 season came to a close in Bozeman, Mont., where the Wildcats lost to Montana State in the NCAA FCS playoffs.

Senior James Brady, Vailas and Goldrich were all in the running for the 2012 starting spot.

Last year, as then senior quarterback Kevin Decker was leading the Wildcats to their eighth consecutive FCS tournament appearance, Goldrich was spending his redshirt season training and working closely with Decker to learn the offense as extensively as possible. 

“My redshirt year was an awesome experience,” Goldrich said. “I learned a lot from Kevin, and that helped me going into the offseason and competing for the starting spot.”

As a redshirt freshman, Goldrich has four years of football eligibility starting this year.

Goldrich also noted the support of newly appointed offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Ryan Carty, who is in his sixth year coaching at UNH.

The competition between Goldrich, Vailas and Brady was tight and the decision on who would get the ball in the season opener was difficult. Goldrich said the talent he was up against in Vailas and Brady was a big part of his motivation.

“Andy and James are great quarterbacks, great athletes, and we were pushing each other to be the absolute best we could be,” Goldrich said.

Unfortunately during preseason training, Brady was pulled out of the competition due to shoulder tendinitis.

Just a week before the season opener, head coach Sean McDonnell announced Goldrich would be starting at quarterback.

“It was an exciting feeling, being told I would be starting,” Goldrich said. “My teammates were congratulating me, the seniors have been really supportive. I don’t want to let them down.”

Goldrich was nothing short of stellar in his collegiate debut, where the Wildcats took the season opening win 38-17 over Holy Cross on Aug. 30. He threw for 193 yards, including two touchdowns, in addition to 71 rushing yards on 10 carries.