As if the night couldn't get any worse.

Penn State freshman wide receiver Derrick Williams will miss the remainder of the 2005 season after suffering a broken left upper arm late in Saturday's 27-25 loss against Michigan.

He will be sidelined three to four months, according to Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, Penn State's director of athletic medicine.

Rick Houchens, Williams' high school coach, said Williams hopes to return for a bowl game at the end of this season. "I told him, 'Don't you dare try to get back too quick,' " he said.

Houchens added that Williams will have minor surgery Thursday and will be in a full cast for about a week. He will then be scheduled for four to six weeks of rehab, Houchens said.

Attempts to reach the Williams family last night were unsuccessful.

The incident happened in the fourth quarter, when Williams, true to form, was trying to make something out of nothing. Penn State trailed Michigan 21-18 after Wolverines place kicker Garrett Rivas kicked a 47-yard field goal with 3:30 left in the game. After catching the ensuing kickoff, Williams, attempting to improvise, cut back across the right side of the field, looking for daylight, when he landed hard on his left side.

Up until that point in the game, the Greenbelt, Md., native had made a season-high six receptions for 59 yards, returned two kickoffs for 22 yards and had run for eight yards against the Wolverines before getting injured.

Coming into the 2005 season, Williams was regarded by many to be the nation's No. 1 recruit. This season, he took ownership of quarterback Michael Robinson's utility role, lining up at tailback and quarterback and returning kicks in addition to his permanent receiver spot.

He ends his season as the Lions' leading receiver with 22 catches for 289 yards and one touchdown. He also has 22 carries for 105 yards and three touchdowns. A starter in all seven games, Williams caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from Robinson with 51 seconds left, sealing a thrilling comeback victory against Northwestern, 34-29, on Sept. 24. The play was selected as the "Pontiac Game Changing Performance" of the week.