sheila sobchikCal Poly starting quarterback Anthony Garnett is out for the season with a torn left ACL and meniscus, according to assistant media relations director Eric Burdick.
Garnett threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns against the Grizzlies, but sustained an injury to his knee in the last 30 seconds of play that took him out of the game. An MRI scan Tuesday morning showed the extent of the injury.
“I feel terrible, all torn up.” Garnett said. “Losing the game made it even worse.”
Backup Matt Brennan will start in Saturday’s “Horeshoe Classic” against UC Davis, according to coach Rich Ellerson. Ellerson could not comment on the health of Garnett.
Garnett, who took the starting position five games into last season, has thrown for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns, and ran for seven touchdowns this season. Garnett is the second overall scorer on the team behind kicker Nick Coromelas.
“We don’t like some of the cards on our table, but we have to play them,” Ellerson said in a press conference Monday.
With Garnett out, redshirt freshman Brennan will have his first regular season start for Cal Poly this weekend.
“We are excited about what Matt can do,” Ellerson said, but added that Brennan’s lack of playtime is a factor.
Brennan, before Saturday’s game against Montana, had only played in the preseason game against Troy in which he took 10 snaps, made ten attempts, completed six and was intercepted once.
“I feel a lot more confident this week than I did at the start of the season,” Brennan said.
Brennan, who entered the Montana game after Garnett’s injury, did not complete his only pass attempt.
“We’re pretty banged up,” Ellerson said of his team’s overall health. “We look like a team that has played six or seven weeks.”
Ellerson added that although Cal Poly is dealing with injuries, most teams are dealing with injuries during this part of the season.
Health issues aside, Cal Poly plays rival UC Davis in Davis this weekend, and the whole team is going to have to step up to make up for lost players Ellerson said.
The game is scheduled for 1:07 p.m., in Davis. This is the 31st first meeting of the two teams, and it will be broadcasted live on KXTY Radio (99.7).
“Officials are going to be against us, the crowds going to be against us and the sun’s going to be in our eyes,” Ellerson said.
Davis, which is known for having a strong defense, defeated both Stanford and No. 16 North Dakota State this season.
“If Peyton Manning came in we would still have a challenge against their defense,” Ellerson said.
Garnett said the team might not have the room to take him to the game in UC Davis.
But he will try to get there somehow to provide advice on the sideline.