Nevada quarterback Nick Graziano underwent surgery on his right foot Monday, and head coach Chris Ault said he would not return to practice until next spring at the earliest.
"He's getting operated on as we speak," Ault said shortly after noon on Monday at the Quarterback's Club luncheon. "He'll be in a boot for six weeks and out of commission for about four months.
"He blew up the tendon on the top of his foot. It was a freak deal. You could see his foot twist as he went down, and the kid just fell on it. It wasn't a bad shot or anything, just one of those freak deals. It's a shame, there's no question about it. He's such a great kid, whether he's playing or not, he's just a great young man to have around."
At practice Monday afternoon, Ault said the surgery went well and added that Graziano's tendon was completely torn.
A sophomore who redshirted in 2005, Graziano was injured when he tried to scramble in the second quarter of the Pack's 49-41 loss to Fresno State on Saturday. Bulldogs Tyler Clutts and Jon Monga sacked him for a three-yard loss, and Graziano got up gingerly and left the field with a noticeable limp.
Redshirt freshman Colin Kaepernick replaced Graziano and played superbly, completing 23-of-36 passes for 384 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed 12 times for 60 yards and another score.
"The thing I appreciated about (Kaepernick), you know, that's a tough situation to go into," Ault said, referring to the Pack trailing, 14-6, when Kaepernick took over. "When Graz went down, I said, 'Do you see what we're trying to do now?,' and he said, 'Yeah, Coach, I understand.' (I said) 'Here's your checks and here's your audibles.'
"I've got to tell you this, the last kid I had that did that was Chris Vargas."
Vargas, a quarterback at Nevada from 1990-93 who ranks fourth all-time in passing yards and fifth in passing touchdowns, is considered to have gotten the most out of his ability because of his cerebral approach.
"Not only did this guy play outstanding -- his stats were phenomenal -- but he really checked us into some great plays," Ault said of Kaepernick. "The show is his, and we're not backing off, we're not changing the offense. We are going to throw the football."
Kaepernick finished with 444 yards of total offense. Coincidentally, the NCAA record for a freshman was set by Nevada's David Neill (582) in 1998. The Pack ran up 702 total yards of offense on Saturday. The record is 1,021, set by Houston in 1989. The record for most yards gained by a losing team is 791, set by Nevada in a 64-45 loss to San Jose State in 2001.
Ault said true freshman Luke Collis would move into the backup quarterback spot.
"(Collis) is very similar to both these guys," Ault said, comparing him with Kaepernick and Graziano. "He's a strong football player, strong arm, commanding presence. We wanted to redshirt him, but I told him the other day, 'It may be all over now. I may have to pop that bubble, and you might have to be ready to go.'"
The Pack began the season with five quarterbacks but is now down to three. Walk-on freshman Pete Murdaca is now the third-string quarterback. Ryan Howard, another walk-on freshman, injured his medial collateral ligament and could return this season if needed.
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Two Wolf Pack starters are still on the mend
Two starters on the Nevada football team who missed Saturday's game against Fresno State because of injuries could be available to play Sunday against Boise State, but head coach Chris Ault said both remain questionable.
Sophomore cornerback Jonathon Amaya, who suffered a sprained knee in the Wolf Pack's 27-20 victory over UNLV on Sept. 30, is listed as day-to-day, Ault said Monday. Sophomore receiver Art King, who suffered a concussion and shoulder separation in the same game, is questionable.
Senior safety Uche Anyanwu, who missed the Fresno State game with a thigh contusion, was back at practice and is expected to play Sunday.
Two more players on defense are getting closer after suffering injuries during fall camp. Sophomore defensive lineman Daniel Agaiava (knee) ran at practice Monday, and redshirt freshman linebacker Jared Silva-Purcell (knee) participated in practice Monday. Ault said he didn't know yet if either would be ready to go against Boise State, but he added that they would at least soon be able to contribute to the Pack's depth.
In other personnel news, Ault said Vai Taua is officially off the team. Taua, a redshirt freshman who was listed as a co-third-string running back along with Courtney Randall, did not show up to practice Monday or Tuesday of last week, and at the time Ault said he could not comment on Taua's status because Taua had not spoken with him.
"He decided he didn't want to be a fourth-string back," Ault said Monday.
"He's getting operated on as we speak," Ault said shortly after noon on Monday at the Quarterback's Club luncheon. "He'll be in a boot for six weeks and out of commission for about four months.
"He blew up the tendon on the top of his foot. It was a freak deal. You could see his foot twist as he went down, and the kid just fell on it. It wasn't a bad shot or anything, just one of those freak deals. It's a shame, there's no question about it. He's such a great kid, whether he's playing or not, he's just a great young man to have around."
At practice Monday afternoon, Ault said the surgery went well and added that Graziano's tendon was completely torn.
A sophomore who redshirted in 2005, Graziano was injured when he tried to scramble in the second quarter of the Pack's 49-41 loss to Fresno State on Saturday. Bulldogs Tyler Clutts and Jon Monga sacked him for a three-yard loss, and Graziano got up gingerly and left the field with a noticeable limp.
Redshirt freshman Colin Kaepernick replaced Graziano and played superbly, completing 23-of-36 passes for 384 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed 12 times for 60 yards and another score.
"The thing I appreciated about (Kaepernick), you know, that's a tough situation to go into," Ault said, referring to the Pack trailing, 14-6, when Kaepernick took over. "When Graz went down, I said, 'Do you see what we're trying to do now?,' and he said, 'Yeah, Coach, I understand.' (I said) 'Here's your checks and here's your audibles.'
"I've got to tell you this, the last kid I had that did that was Chris Vargas."
Vargas, a quarterback at Nevada from 1990-93 who ranks fourth all-time in passing yards and fifth in passing touchdowns, is considered to have gotten the most out of his ability because of his cerebral approach.
"Not only did this guy play outstanding -- his stats were phenomenal -- but he really checked us into some great plays," Ault said of Kaepernick. "The show is his, and we're not backing off, we're not changing the offense. We are going to throw the football."
Kaepernick finished with 444 yards of total offense. Coincidentally, the NCAA record for a freshman was set by Nevada's David Neill (582) in 1998. The Pack ran up 702 total yards of offense on Saturday. The record is 1,021, set by Houston in 1989. The record for most yards gained by a losing team is 791, set by Nevada in a 64-45 loss to San Jose State in 2001.
Ault said true freshman Luke Collis would move into the backup quarterback spot.
"(Collis) is very similar to both these guys," Ault said, comparing him with Kaepernick and Graziano. "He's a strong football player, strong arm, commanding presence. We wanted to redshirt him, but I told him the other day, 'It may be all over now. I may have to pop that bubble, and you might have to be ready to go.'"
The Pack began the season with five quarterbacks but is now down to three. Walk-on freshman Pete Murdaca is now the third-string quarterback. Ryan Howard, another walk-on freshman, injured his medial collateral ligament and could return this season if needed.
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Two Wolf Pack starters are still on the mend
Two starters on the Nevada football team who missed Saturday's game against Fresno State because of injuries could be available to play Sunday against Boise State, but head coach Chris Ault said both remain questionable.
Sophomore cornerback Jonathon Amaya, who suffered a sprained knee in the Wolf Pack's 27-20 victory over UNLV on Sept. 30, is listed as day-to-day, Ault said Monday. Sophomore receiver Art King, who suffered a concussion and shoulder separation in the same game, is questionable.
Senior safety Uche Anyanwu, who missed the Fresno State game with a thigh contusion, was back at practice and is expected to play Sunday.
Two more players on defense are getting closer after suffering injuries during fall camp. Sophomore defensive lineman Daniel Agaiava (knee) ran at practice Monday, and redshirt freshman linebacker Jared Silva-Purcell (knee) participated in practice Monday. Ault said he didn't know yet if either would be ready to go against Boise State, but he added that they would at least soon be able to contribute to the Pack's depth.
In other personnel news, Ault said Vai Taua is officially off the team. Taua, a redshirt freshman who was listed as a co-third-string running back along with Courtney Randall, did not show up to practice Monday or Tuesday of last week, and at the time Ault said he could not comment on Taua's status because Taua had not spoken with him.
"He decided he didn't want to be a fourth-string back," Ault said Monday.
