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Baylor QB Seth Russell to have season-ending neck surgery

Graham Watson

Baylor quarterback Seth Russell will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a broken bone in his neck.

Russell was injured during a four-yard run in the final minutes of a blowout win against Iowa State. He saw a specialist on Monday, who recommended surgery. Russell’s recovery time is expected to be six months.

“Seth exemplifies the spirit and will of our football team,” coach Art Briles said, “and through this our team will keep that spirit alive and well for him.”

This is a huge blow for a Baylor team that was not only contending for the Big 12 title, but also a spot in the College Football Playoff. So far this season, Russell had thrown for 2,104 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first season as a starter, and run for 402 yards and six scores. With him under center, Baylor was averaging 686.1 yards and 61.1 points per game.

Jarrett Stidham, a true freshman from Stephenville, Texas, will be the Bears new starting quarterback moving forward. Stidham has appeared in all seven of Baylor’s games and has completed 24-of-28 passes for 331 yards and six touchdowns. Sophomore Chris Johnson, who had moved to wide receiver during fall camp, will be the backup.

Russell leads the FBS in passing efficiency (189.7), passing touchdowns (29), passing yards per completion (17.68), points responsible for per game (30.0) and passing yards per attempt (10.52).

For more Baylor news, visit SicEmSports.com.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!

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