The University of Connecticut football team has lost starting quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson for the year — just as the season has begun.
The school says Roberson, a sophomore, tore his ACL in Saturday’s 31-20 loss to Utah State.
Roberson got hurt in the first quarter of the opening game of the season. Speaking to reporters a day after the game, Huskies coach Jim Mora said that in football, you have to have empathy for the player at the same time you’re looking for the next man up.
“To have it happen so early in the year, you just feel so bad for the kid because you know they feel so bad,” Mora said on Sunday.
UConn says Roberson will have surgery this week. The next man up for the Huskies is freshman Zion Turner.
“He’s such a great competitor,” Mora said of Turner. “I have no doubt that he’ll make the most of this opportunity.”
Turner was 12 of 31 for 109 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in relief of Roberson on Saturday. Mora said he thinks Turner will do better the next time out as he’ll go into it as the starter.
UConn hosts Central Connecticut State University Saturday at noon in East Hartford.
