Season-ending injury stops BYU Heisman hopeful QB for third time

BYU's Taysom Hill will miss the rest of the season after fracturing a foot in the Cougars' improbable 33-28 win over Nebraska on Saturday.

It's the third time in four seasons that Hill has sustained a season-ending injury.

Hill was hurt on a 21-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. He walked gingerly to the bench and went to the locker room for treatment.

Hill missed the first two plays of the Cougars' next series, then came back to play until linebacker Josh Banderas hit him after an 8-yard run early in the fourth quarter.

Freshman backup Tanner Mangum took over and threw the winning 42-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to Mitch Mathews on the last play.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall said Hill showed grit by continuing to play after initially getting hurt in the first half.

"The training staff said they've never seen anyone go back and play in the same game once that's happened," Mendenhall said. "He allowed us to stay within striking distance. There's not player that I've coached that I care about more."

In 2012 Hill required season-ending surgery on his left knee after getting hurt in an early October game against Utah State.

In 2014 Hill was on the verge of becoming a serious Heisman Trophy candidate when he fractured his left leg, again against Utah State in an early October game.

Mendenhall described Saturday's injury as a Lisfranc fracture affecting the middle of the foot. The coach said it's too early to know whether Hill, a fifth-year senior, will seek a medical hardship so he could play for BYU in 2016. Hill wasn't made available for interviews.

"Taysom has a bright future in the world of finance and business and family and all that," Mendenhall said. "We'll let all of this kind of calm down for a little bit and maybe have a clearer head with a different perspective. I'll let him speak for himself on that one."