Max Duggan threw a completion a break up second earlier than a defender’s helmet struck his facemask on a concentrating on name, sending the TCU quarterback’s head snapping again and leaving him momentarily woozy on the bottom.
The cellular Duggan took his share of collisions towards Kansas State however completed the sport and has No. 7 TCU alone in first place.
In a yr of quarterback attrition, the Big 12 race may come right down to what number of are left standing, or who has a backup able to shouldering the load. Most groups have misplaced their beginning quarterback in some unspecified time in the future this season. Just a few stay out, others have returned and the standing of some for Saturday’s video games are a day-to-day statement.
Just as he’s shaken off exhausting tackles, Duggan deferred questions in regards to the latest pounding, as a substitute pointing to the actual battle within the trenches.
“My job’s pretty easy. When you’re a quarterback, you don’t get hit too often,” Duggan stated after TCU beat Kansas State 38-28 on Saturday. “The guys up front, the guys blocking out on the defense, they’re getting hit every play. Those guys are never complaining, never talking about their hits. So the least I can do is get up after a play.”
Duggan may not be thriving had redshirt freshman Chandler Morris not sprained his left knee within the season opener. Despite being a three-year starter, Duggan misplaced the highest place over the spring and summer season to Morris. But Duggan has performed so properly that Morris has remained on the bench regardless of being accessible. Duggan has thrown 19 landing passes with one interception. His 181.8 effectivity ranking is fifth within the nation.
While Duggan led TCU again from an 18-point deficit to beat Kansas State, the Wildcats are having their very own quarterback points.
Starter Adrian Martinez left after the primary sequence with an undisclosed harm and didn’t return. Backup Will Howard threw for 2 touchdowns and ran for one more, then damage his shoulder on a third-quarter working play. Howard left the sport briefly however was introduced again in after a third-string freshman threw an interception.
Coach Chris Klieman stated Tuesday he’s undecided whether or not Martinez will probably be accessible however Howard ought to be prepared when Kansas State, tied for second place with Oklahoma State, prepares to host the Cowboys on Saturday.
Oklahoma State’s Spencer Sanders, taking part in by way of undisclosed accidents up to now few weeks, led the Cowboys to a comeback win over Texas on Saturday. Sanders is tied with Duggan for the Big 12 lead with 23 whole touchdowns — seven greater than anybody else.
“He’s feeling better,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy stated. (*12*)
Quarterback accidents appear to have hit the Big 12 more durable than different Power 5 conferences, though there are some notable season-ending accidents elsewhere, together with Devin Leary at North Carolina State (pectoral muscle).
Some colleges can’t catch a break: Utah State has seen accidents to its prime three quarterbacks, forcing one to finish his faculty profession, and Texas A&M its prime two.
Despite the frequency of quarterback visits to the coaching room, the Big 12 is on tempo to problem a excessive scoring mark beneath the present 10-team format that began in 2012. The league-wide common of 35.4 factors scored is greater than 5 factors higher than every of the previous two seasons and the identical as that averaged over the 2015 season.
One cause for the success is Kansas, which has far surpassed its scoring whole for all of final season.
Jalon Daniels led Kansas to a 5-0 begin, then injured a shoulder towards TCU. The Jayhawks misplaced that sport and the following two. Kansas now has an open week and no timetable has been set for Daniels’ return. Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel returned from a concussion on Oct. 15 to assist the Sooners snap a three-game shedding streak. Both quarterbacks have been injured in back-to-back weeks on performs by TCU linebacker Jamoi Hodge, whose hit on Gabriel was dominated concentrating on.
Quinn Ewers of Texas missed three video games with a collarbone harm. Texas Tech has gone 3-3 since Tyler Shough injured a collarbone within the season opener. Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire stated Shough has been medically cleared and will probably be accessible to play towards Baylor this week. Redshirt freshman Behren Morton has began the final two video games, going 1-1.
Baylor’s Blake Shapen sustained a head harm Oct. 13 within the third quarter at West Virginia however returned Saturday to steer the Bears to a win over Kansas. West Virginia’s JT Daniels and Iowa State’s Hunter Dekkers even have but to overlook a begin.
By this level within the season, each coach should deal with a rising record of gamers who might or will not be accessible.
“Kansas State’s not the only team that’s beat up. That I know for a fact,” Klieman stated. “And so nobody’s going to feel sorry for you. It’s the ‘next man up’ mentality. And whoever is out there, we have confidence as a staff, we have confidence as a football team, that they’re going to allow us and give us opportunity to be successful.”
___
More AP faculty soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25. Sign up for the AP’s faculty soccer e-newsletter: https://bit.ly/3pqZVaF
submit credit score to Source link