Jacksonville, AL – Jax State QB Huff to be ‘limited’ in practice all week, status for CUSA title game will be a game-time decision, Rodriguez says.
By Joe Medley
Jax State quarterback Tyler Huff’s status for Friday’s Conference USA Championship game at AmFirst Stadium will be “a game-time decision,” Jax State coach Rich Rodriguez said today.
Huff went down with an injury to his left ankle in the third quarter of Jax State’s 19-17 loss at Western Kentucky on Saturday. The Gamecocks and Hilltoppers will play again Friday for the league title, at 6 p.m.
“He’s going to be limited all week,” Rodriguez said during Tuesday’s CUSA media zoom. “It’s probably going to be up to a game-time thing, how we feel that he can be effective.
“With Tyler, running the ball is a big part of his game and a big part of our offense, so we don’t want to put him out there when he can’t be himself, so we’ll see the treatment goes over the next couple of days and probably wait until Friday, game time.”
Huff has played in all 12 games this season, rushing for 1,311 yards and 13 touchdowns. He’s also completed 146 of 244 passes for 2,003 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Logan Smothers finished Saturday’s game at quarterback for Jax State and has served as Huff’s backup all season. Smothers is in his second year with the Gamecocks. The Nebraska transfer played in all 13 games in 2023 with four starts, going 60-for-108 passing for 655 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions, while running for 283 yards and six touchdowns on 75 carries.
Smothers rushed for 32 yards and a touchdown at Western on Saturday and completed four of six passes for 62 yards.
“I don’t think a lot changes” in Jax State’s offense with Smothers at quarterback, Western coach Tyson Helton said. “They have really good options beside him. They are talented. They’ve got three guys who are really good players, and Coach RichRod does a fantastic job with what he does and the scheme that he runs.
“I don’t think they lose much of anything, to be honest with you.”
