Baylor’s nightmare season has plunged deeper into the depths of darkness as the school announced Sunday quarterback Seth Russell will undergo season-ending surgery to fix a fractured ankle suffered in Saturday’s 45-24 loss at Oklahoma.
Russell’s injury comes just over a year after endured a broken neck that cost him the final month of the 2015 season. After fighting back from that injury, Russell has now lost a second consecutive season to a lightning-strike of an injury.
“Seth worked so hard to come back from the neck injury, and it’s not about losing the talent and production at quarterback, it’s more just like having one of your own children hurt,” acting head coach Jim Grobe said in a statement. “It breaks your heart to see a really, really good guy get hurt like that. Just really, really sad because you love the kid so much.”
Russell closes his career with a 14-3 mark as a starter while throwing 54 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. He holds the school record with an 8.324 yards per play average while ranking second in passing efficiency (159.36) and seventh in passing yards (5,461). He also oversaw the highest-ever ranking in program history, a No. 2 nod in the AP and Coaches’ polls last season.
True freshman Zach Smith will start at quarterback for the Bears this week against Kansas State. He has completed 16-of-35 throws for 272 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions in six appearances to date.
Baylor is 6-3 and reeling after winning the club’s first six games to start the year.