Coming into training camp, the quarterback position was one of the very few that head coach Mike Stoops felt comfortable with in terms of both skill and depth. That may no longer be the case.
Backup quarterback Bryson Beirne -- who became the backup once the team decided to redshirt senior Matt Scott -- sprained his ACL in a scrimmage on Saturday and will miss at least three weeks, if not longer. The staff is hoping to avoid surgery, though we will just have to wait and see on how the injury responds to treatment and rehab.
What does this mean for Arizona? Assuming the plan is to keep Scott redshirted to keep his eligibility to play next season, freshman Daxx Garman will be assuming the duties as second-string quarterback. Who is Daxx Garman? After being denied the chance to play at powerhouse Southlake Carroll High School in Texas, he enrolled early at Arizona to build strength and earn extra reps with the team. Coming in at a wiry 6'2, 175 pounds, he is by no means a physical specimen, but he was looked promising at times during camp.
Here is the problem in all of this: let's say the Wildcats trail the Oregon Ducks by three points and there's five minutes left. Nick Foles gets injured. Does coach Stoops call on the freshman to finish out the biggest game of the season, or does he burn Scott's eligibility for next season and play him with hopes to win the big game? Now if Foles would be out indefinitely then the decision becomes easier, but what if the medical staff does not know the extent of the injury?
Things could become tricky. Let's all just hope Foles is able to stay healthy and the Wildcats don't have to face this problem.