BYU football’s quarterback is dealing with an ankle injury, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. Will Tanner Mangum play against the Wisconsin Badgers?
BYU football has struggled mightily on offense this season.
The Cougars rank 121st in points per game among Division-I schools. They’re 106th in passing yards per game, 122nd in rushing yards per game and 122nd in total yards per game.
Things haven’t been pretty. But according to Jay Drew of the Salt Lake Tribune, things may be getting worse.
Tanner Mangum is apparently dealing with an injury.
BYU doesn’t comment on injuries unless they are season-ending, so it’s unclear whether Mangum’s injury is to his ankle or his foot.
But the junior signal caller was seen grabbing/touching his lower leg on the ESPN broadcast against the Utes.
On Greg Wrubell’s Coordinators’ Corner show, Ty Detmer was asked about Mangum’s health. Detmer seemed pretty quick to dismiss any severity, just noting that Mangum was in the facility on Sunday to get some treatment.
On Tuesday, captain and linebacker Butch Pau’u was asked if Mangum practiced. He declined to comment.
Btw, here's what Butch Pau'u said when a student reporter asked about #BYU QB Tanner Mangum today. https://t.co/bijZi2LO1Z
— Sean Walker (@ActuallyDSW) September 12, 2017
“Uhh, you’re going to have to talk to coach Detmer,” Pau’u said. “We don’t know.”
Maybe this is a new team policy, but it certainly sounds like Mangum wasn’t practicing today. There’s a chance that Detmer is right – the issue is a minor one and it was just a rest day.
Time for next man up?
But at the same time, Pau’u’s response certainly makes you think it’s something way worse.
Drew feels pretty certain that Mangum is out for this Saturday’s clash with No. 10 Wisconsin.
By now, it is pretty obvious that BYU QB Tanner Mangum won't play vs. Wisconsin. Question now is how long he will be out. Detmer talks Weds.
— Jay Drew (@drewjay) September 12, 2017
If this is indeed the case, Beau Hoge would be the next man up for BYU football.
Hoge played in three games during his freshman season in 2015. He completed 10 of 17 passes for 137 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He added 49 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Hoge can take off and run – which may be a vital skill that could provide some extra yards or extend plays. But the problem is that he doesn’t get much run in practice.
“Beau gets a few here or there, but they’re not getting a ton of work in order to be ready to go or play at the same level the starter is,” Detmer told Drew.
We’ll stay tuned to this story and see if Detmer provides an update tomorrow during his media session.