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SALT LAKE CITY — Friday was another reminder just how cruel the game of football can be.
Chuckie Keeton went one way and his knee went another. It didn't take long to realize that this wasn't something he was going to shake off. The sight of him writhing in pain on the turf left 25,000 plus fans in stunned silence and cast a pall on the remainder of the night.
Test results confirmed what many feared: Chuckie suffered an ACL and MCL tear in his left knee. His season is over.
Keeton now faces surgery and eight months of rehab while his team struggles to come to grips with the challenge that lies ahead without their star quarterback.
"This is the greatest team sport ever invented and not one kid can win it," Aggie head coach Matt Wells said after the loss to BYU. "We've said that in this program that we're not a bunch of individuals and we're not about one kid. We're about to find out if we are or not."
Replacing the production and playmaking of Keeton will be impossible. He is 10th in the NCAA in passing yards (1388), second in touchdown passes (18) and 12th in completion percentage (69.4). The interception returned for a touchdown by Kyle Van Noy was just the second interception he threw all season in six games.
Related:
Chuckie Keeton tears ACL and MCL; done for season
Utah State made it official Saturday, announcing that Chuckie Keeton is done for the season after tearing his ACL and MCL in the first quarter of Utah State's 31-14 loss to BYU Friday night.It's not just devastating news for the Utah State football program and its fans, it's disappointing for college football fans in Utah and around the country.
Keeton is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the nation, and the statistics mentioned above back up that claim. He is a playmaker and one of the most entertaining players to watch in college football. Keeton brought national attention to the Utah State football program that it never enjoyed previously. He is a model student-athlete and tremendous ambassador for college football and for the entire state of Utah. You never hear anything negative about him. He has the respect of his opponents and their fans.
"We've lost a great leader, great teammate and a very productive football player," Wells said in a statement after announcing the extent of Keeton's injury. "I have all the confidence in the world in Chuckie, along with our doctors and staff that he will come back stronger than ever next season. As for the remainder of this season, we will regroup as a team and pick up the slack and continue to strive to compete for the Mountain West championship."
As difficult as it will be, the Aggies have to move on. A Mountain West Conference title is still a possibility. They host Boise State Saturday afternoon in a game that could be the difference in winning the Mountain Division title and earning a chance to play for a conference championship.
The character of this team and it's coaching staff will be tested this week and throughout the remainder of the season. They will turn to senior backup Craig Harrison at quarterback and remain committed to reaching their goals.
"I know we can do it; we have the people to do it," said junior linebacker Zach Vigil. "When you have an injury on the offensive side of the ball, the defense has to play better. We have to play better or we will lose, and we will continue to lose."
We will see what this team is made of starting Saturday.
