Utah QB Tyler Huntley Says ‘I’m Playing’ Against Cal Despite Injury
Oct 24, 2019, 1:09 PM
Quarterback Tyler Huntley #1 of the Utah Utes scrambles with the football during the first half of the college football game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley said that he would suit up and be the Utes’ quarterback against the California Bears despite an injury.
Huntley told Dirk Facer of the Deseret News “I’m playing” in Utah’s game against the Bears on Saturday, October 26.
The Utah signal-caller suffered an unspecified injury to his right leg against Arizona State in the Utes’ 21-3 win over the 24th ranked Sun Devils on October 19.
Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley: “I’m playing.”
— Dirk Facer (@DirkFacer) October 21, 2019
Huntley suffered the injury in the second quarter vs. the Sun Devils. He came out of the game for a moment but returned later in the drive. Huntley’s leg was subject to another hit in the second half and he exited the game for the final time on Utah’s final possession of the third quarter.
The Utah QB experienced a season-ending injury against ASU in 2018. The 2019 injury isn’t season-ending according to Utes’ head coach Kyle Whittingham.
On the season, Huntley has completed 74 percent of his passes for 1,564 yards and 9 touchdowns. He’s also added 229 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground.
He is seventh among FBS quarterbacks in passing efficiency in 2019 with a rating of 180.1.
Huntley’s Backups
Huntley said he’s a go for the matchup with the Bears but if he is unable to take snaps under center or has to leave the game early, the Utes will turn to backup quarterbacks Drew Lisk and Jason Shelley.
Both Lisk and Shelley played in the win over Arizona State. Lisk entered the game first after Huntley went out in the second quarter. Shelley finished the game for the Utes.
Tyler Huntley had to be helped off the field. He suffered a season ending injury against ASU last season. Drew Lisk is in at quarterback. #ASUvsUtah
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 19, 2019
Lisk, a junior out of Jordan High School, has played in three games this season.
He’s completed 7/9 pass attempts for 52 yards. He’s appeared in five games in his Utah career.
Shelley, a sophomore from Little Elm, Texas, has appeared in four of Utah’s games in 2019. He completed 1/4 passes for 6 yards. He’s also carried the ball 8 times for 12 yards. Shelley played in nine games for the Utes in 2018. He started the last five games at QB in place of Huntley.
In 2018, he completed just over 53 percent of his pass attempts for 1,162 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. He carried the ball 63 times for 192 yards and 3 touchdowns.
