Duke QB Thomas Sirk ruptures Achilles

Duke quarterback Thomas Sirk is likely out for spring practice and could miss the start of the 2016 season after he ruptured his left Achilles tendon Tuesday morning.

Sirk, a junior in 2015, became the team's starting quarterback last season and acquitted himself very well. He was 251-427 passing for 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also ran for 803 yards and eight touchdowns. The Blue Devils beat Indiana in the Pinstripe Bowl to finish the season 8-5.

It's his second Achilles injury as well. He suffered a torn right Achilles in 2013 and missed the season.

Recovery from an Achilles' injury typically takes six months, but the timetable obviously depends on the severity of the injury. Assuming a six-month timeline for Sirk, he could return in August. A longer recovery would put the beginning of the season in jeopardy. Christian Hultzer, Parker Boehme, Daniel Jones and Quentin Harris are the other quarterbacks on Duke's roster.

If there's an upside for Duke, it's that the other four quarterbacks will get more spring practice time in anticipation of replacing Sirk full-time in 2017.

The Blue Devils' 2016 recruiting class was ranked No. 31 by Rivals.

For more Duke news, visit DevilsIllustrated.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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