SALT LAKE CITY — Here’s the story on Zack Moss and how the Utah Utes lost their leading rusher to a season-ending injury days before Saturday’s 32-25 win over Oregon.
“It’s very strange,” said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. “The injury was not in practice. It manifest when he got up to get in his bed.”
Whittingham explained that it was a lower extremity injury.
“It locked up on him, his leg, and it could have been from a week ago, a month ago, a year ago. There’s just no way to tell,” Whittingham said. “And so, it’s unfortunate. It looks like he’s going to need surgery. That’s not 100 percent sure right now. I guess there’s going to be some second opinions and so forth.”
The injury, Whittingham continued, was strange, really strange.
Moss, who is just the fourth player in team history to run for 1,000 yards in two seasons, had 128 yards and a touchdown in last week’s 38-20 loss at Arizona State. The junior was tied for third in the Pac-12 with 1,092 yards through nine games and ranks fourth in all-time yards at Utah with 2,647.
The 5-foot-10, 215-pound running back from Florida may have played his final game for the Utes.
“That’s a good question. Zack is a terrific player,” said Whittingham, who noted that a lot of scouts had him as one of the top backs in the country and in the draft.
Whittingham said if the injury ends up being what everyone believes it is right now, rehab is four to five months, which means Moss would miss combines and other pre-draft activities.
“The approach we take is in-season you do everything that is in the best interest of the team. After the season it’s what is in the best interest of the player,” Whittingham continued. “So, if it’s in Zack’s best interest to come out early, then we’ll support that 100 percent. But those decisions will be made in due time, next month or two. But the first order of business is to get the injury addressed and decide exactly what needs to happen.”