Nick Foles is No. 1 on several UA passing lists. Photo by Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic
Arizona Wildcats senior quarterback Nick Foles has set several school season and career passing records, but it’s unclear if he can add to any of those totals.
Foles left against Arizona State with 6:10 to go in the game Saturday night, suffering from what he described as probably a muscle injury to his lower back or side.
Bryson Beirne replaced Foles, who did not return to the game, the first extended time he’s missed this season because of injury.
“I don’t think it will be anything serious, so I’ll be good,” Foles said after the 31-27 win over the Sun Devils.
But he soon conceded that his muscles were “tightening up pretty bad.”
“I can’t really twist and speaking loudly kind of triggers it,” he said.
Foles suffered the injury when taking a hit in the fourth quarter. He stayed in the game for three more plays, but a twisting handoff on a draw play caused him enough pain that he had to stay down on the field for a few minutes.
“When I twisted to hand off, sharp pain shot everywhere,” Foles said. “I thought I could keep going. I kept trying to twist, and I had to take a knee just because the pain was excruciating.”
Foles was 35 of 51 for 370 yards and two touchdowns against Arizona State, earning the Bob Moran Player of the Game Award, as selected by the media.
In three games against Arizona State, he attempted 130 passes without being intercepted.
During Saturday night’s game, Foles set the school season record for passing yards and completions, in each case breaking a mark established in 2007 by Willie Tuitama.
Foles is up to 354 completions (which is also a Pac-12 record) and 3,982 yards. He already was UA’s career leader in passing yards (now 9,659), completions (900), attempts (1,352) and total offense (9,367).
Remarkably, he has passed for at least 350 yards in eight of 11 games this season.
He has started 32 games at Arizona. Will he get one more? Will he even be able to play in the season-ender Saturday against Louisiana-Lafayette?
He will be evaluated, and interim coach Tim Kish likely will have an update on Foles’ status Monday morning.
“I want more than anything to be on that field,” Foles said. “But I really don’t know right now. I’m in a lot of pain right now.”
Related:
One shining moment: Beirne delivers vs. ASU after five-year wait
Arizona wins the ‘marathon,’ takes Cup from Arizona State in thriller