Just when things started to look up for the Swashbucklers, another major setback.

The Bucs announced on Monday that starting quarterback Alvin Bartie will miss 4-6 weeks with a leg injury.

Bartie was hurt in the second quarter of Saturday night’s victory over Richmond, which ended the team’s three-game losing streak.

An MRI confirmed the seriousness of the injury.

Officially, Bartie suffered a non-displaced fracture of the upper right fibula. The injury will not require surgery or a cast, but will take at least a month to heal.

“It is disappointing because we just got Alvin back,” said Swashbucklers president and general manager Chris Meaux.

Bartie, in his first year with the team, was hurt when he was a hit as he threw an interception.

The latest setback came in Bartie’s first game back from a concussion. He missed the two previous games after being injured in Week 2.

“He was finally symptom-free,” said Swashbucklers head coach Darnell Lee.

Bartie was struggling against Richmond after a fast start. He was just 9 of 17 for 99 yards and the interception, though he did have an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Rideaux late in the first quarter.

The loss of Bartie means the Bucs (2-3) will again turn to veteran Freddie Harrison.

“Freddie will be our starter Friday night in Knoxville,” Lee said.

Harrison, the head football coach at Washington-Marion High, has been banged up himself this season. He was signed in Week 3 after Bartie was injured, and he’s missed a portion of each of his first two games with a bruised sternum.

However, he was able to come off the bench to rally the Bucs from behind twice in the win Saturday night despite playing at what Lee called “about 85 percent.”

“Freddie did a great job for us,” Lee said after Saturday night’s game. “He had a chance to see what they were doing, then he came in the game and got us some scores.”

Harrison finished the game 10 of 17 for 110 yards and two touchdowns, both giving the Swashbucklers the lead. More importantly, he didn’t throw an interception.

“When he (Harrison) comes in, it is like having a coach on the field,” Lee said.

For the year Harrison is only 22-for-46 for 296 yards. His six touchdown passes are measured against three interceptions.

Backing up Harrison will again be Sammy Knight, who is the team’s No. 2 receiver with 18 catches for 194 yards and four scores. However, when he is at quarterback the team’s offense changes.

“We are limited in the things we can do when Sammy is at quarterback,” Lee said. “We want him to play his natural position at receiver if possible. But he has been a good emergency quarterback for us.”

Meaux said the team is actively looking for a backup quarterback to add to the roster.

“We have the ability to bring in another quarterback and we are hoping to do so,” Meaux said. “We want to make sure we are adding the right guy.”

Meaux said bringing back last year’s starter Ben McLaughlin, who was with the team earlier this season, was not an option.

Swashbucklers starting quarterback Alvin Bartie will miss 4-6 weeks with a leg injury. (American Press)

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