TAMPA, Florida — BYU will play its season opener today against South Florida without one of its best players.
Fifth-year senior receiver Gunner Romney is not available to play, due to an undisclosed injury he suffered during fall camp.
BYU coach Kalani Sitake told Greg Wrubell of the BYU Sports Radio Network that Romney is week to week but the rest of the team is mostly healthy.
“We are down Gunner Romney,” Sitake said in his pregame interview. “We were hoping to the end that he’d be ready to go. … We are looking forward to seeing him soon. After that, I think for the most part our team is healthy.”
It is unknown whether Romney will be ready for next week’s home opener against Baylor.
Another receiver who was not seen practicing much at the latter end of fall camp, Puka Nacua, made the trip and participated in pregame warmups.
In BYU’s 35-27 win over USF in Provo last season, Romney caught five passes for 119 yards and a touchdown.
In Romney’s absence, backup receivers such as Brayden Cosper, Kody Epps and Parker Kingston should receiver more reps.
Kingston is a freshman from Roy. Other freshman on the traveling squad are linebackers Logan Pili and Tate Romney, defensive back Preston Rex, defensive lineman Bruce Mitchell, offensive linemen Sonny Makasini, Sam Dawe and Peter Falaniko and defensive backs Chika Ebunoha and Korbyn Green.