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The nightmare of being upset by the previously winless Old Dominion of the Conference USA just got worse for Virginia Tech. In their 49-35 upset loss, starting quarterback Josh Jackson suffered a broken fibula and will undergo surgery on Tuesday, according to head coach Justin Fuente. No timetable is set for his return.
.@CoachFuente confirms that Josh Jackson has a fractured left fibula. He will have surgery tomorrow. Timetable TBD.#Hokies 🦃
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) September 24, 2018
Jackson was injured on a fourth quarter run as he scrambled for a 19-yard gain. He exited the game tied 28-28 with 12:48 remaining in the fourth. He finished the game 8-of-16 passing for 151 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
He was replaced by junior Ryan Willis. Willis went 9-of-18 for 131 yards and one touchdown. That touchdown tied the game at 35-35. However, he was 2-of-6 on the following drive after Old Dominion regained the lead at 42-35. The Monarchs would score another touchdown to seal the Hokies’ fate.
Now, Willis will get the reigns at quarterback for the foreseeable future, as the Hokies look to bounce back from a devastating loss in more ways than one. The Kansas transfer’s first test as the Hokies starting quarterback will be a daunting challenge, at No. 22 Duke on Saturday. Behind Willis will be redshirt freshman Hendon Hooker, who has yet to attempt a collegiate pass and true freshman Quincy Patterson, who has yet to play a game this season.
Jackson was looking to build on his impressive redshirt freshman campaign. Through 2.5 games, Jackson was more accurate than the previous year completing 62.1 percent of his passes throwing five touchdowns against one interception. He also averaged 9.9 yards per attempt over two yards more than he did in 2017.
