BYU football: Tanner Mangum done for season with Achilles injury

BYU football lost starting quarterback Tanner Mangum in the fourth quarter against Fresno State. The junior suffered an Achilles injury.

More bad news for BYU football.

In a season that saw nearly 40 different Cougars miss time with injuries, BYU has now lost starting quarterback Tanner Mangum for the remainder of the season.

With 10:27 to play in BYU football’s 20-13 loss to Fresno State on Saturday night, Mangum awkwardly fell without really being touched. Immediately the junior quarterback began grabbing at his right leg.

Trainers came to his aide, helping him to the sidelines and getting him on the table. Shortly thereafter he was carted from the sidelines to the locker room alongside his parents.

Following the game, BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake told BYU Sports Network that Mangum is out for the rest of the year due to an Achilles injury.

Now, it will be up to Beau Hoge and/or Joe Critchlow to carry the load for the Cougars.

Next: BYU-Fresno State: Gut Reactions

Hoge came in twice for Mangum during the game. Once while Mangum was re-taping his injured ankle, and again after the Achilles injury. He completed 3-of-10 passes for 51 yards. On the season, Hoge is 16-of-29 for 206 yards, with two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Critchlow has seen limited game action this season. He’s played in just three contests (Boise State, Mississippi State and San Jose State), completing 6-of-10 passes for 59 yards.

For Mangum, it will be a long road to recovery. Achilles injuries are no joke, with NFL players often taking a full year to recover – more often than not never returning to their previous form.

As sickening as it is for Mangum and his family, it’s a continuation of an awful trend for BYU football.

Since Max Hall left, BYU football has had season-ending injuries to the quarterback position in 2010 (Riley Nelson), 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 (Taysom Hill) and 2017 (Tanner Mangum). It’s a brutal trend that’s put the Cougars in rough positions over the last few years.

With the final three games, Sitake and Co. have to seriously evaluate the players on the roster.

Also, it’s worth noting that we are 45 days from the December Signing Day. For the coaches, you cant quit on the season. But there needs to be extra focus on recruiting.

Hopefully Mangum can recover speedily and without setbacks. Cougar Nation is rooting for him.