Offensive lineman Mike Knapp’s hard-luck season is over.

The redshirted junior center tore the patellar tendon in his knee in the first half against Texas A&M on Saturday. Knapp had missed the previous four games after undergoing a mid-week appendectomy on Sept. 16.

“My heart goes out to him and his family,” coach Gene Chizik said. “When you sit there and you watch his mom and dad, and sister and girlfriend crying after the game, how can your heart not?”

As November approaches, the wear and tear of the football season is taking a toll on the ISU football team (2-6, 0-4 Big 12). Sophomore offensive lineman Ben Lamaak suffered an undisclosed leg injury in the first half of Saturday’s game and was in street clothes in the second half. Chizik said Lamaak’s playing status is day-to-day.

Senior defensive tackle Michael Tate was nursing a shoulder injury and did not play against the Aggies, but will play against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday.

Quarterback Austen Arnaud said his throwing shoulder felt the best it had since the Oct. 11 Baylor game when it was hit and injured. The sophomore said “it shouldn’t be a problem the rest of the year.”

Knapp, meanwhile, underwent surgery Monday morning for the severe knee injury. The 6-foot-3, 266-pound West Des Moines native won the starting job this season after 2007 starter Brandon Johnson switched positions.

“Look at his story,” Chizik said. “He walked on, and not only did he get a scholarship — he became a starter. And he earned it. He gets three games into the season right now and has a fluke appendectomy on a Wednesday, and finally comes back from that … it hurts our football team, but that’s not the main issue to me. The main issue is him and his family, and the struggle they’re going through right now. It’s tough.”

Arnaud said he talked to Knapp at halftime Saturday.

“He was just down,” Arnaud said. “It just stinks because he’s a great kid. He’s undersized, works his butt off … it’s just sad to see him not to be able to play.”

Chizik said this is the time of year when injuries “pop up.”

“And it’s kind of everywhere on our team right now, with guys getting knicked and dinged up,” he said.

Arnaud said he woke up sore, Sunday, after being sacked four times and making 12 running attempts during last weekend’s game.

He said Lamaak’s injury doesn’t appear to be severe.

“He’s my roommate, so I see him last night — he was lumbering, gingerly walking around the house dragging his leg. I kind of wanted to tell him to stop dragging his leg and making excuses,” Arnaud joked. “But he’ll be fine, and hopefully he’ll be ready to play Saturday.”