Jordan McCloud’s first year with Arizona has come to an early end.
McCloud is out for the season after suffering right knee and ankle injuries late in Arizona’s 34-16 home loss to UCLA on Saturday. Coach Jedd Fisch confirmed the news during his Monday press conference.
“He’ll be getting surgery at some point in time,” Fisch said.
McCloud, a redshirt sophomore who transferred from South Florida, threw for 481 yards and two touchdowns and added 75 rushing yards in three games this season. He started at QB the last two contests, throwing for 233 yards and a TD (but also five interceptions) at Oregon and then 182 yards against UCLA before getting hurt.
The injury came in the first minute of the fourth quarter when, trailing 24-16, Arizona was moving toward midfield. McCloud was attempting to find receiver Boobie Curry on a deep route when he was sacked by UCLA’s Otito Ogbonnia, fumbling the ball on the play.
With McCloud out, Fisch said redshirt freshman Gunner Cruz will start Saturday’s game at Colorado. Cruz won the starting job out of training camp, throwing for 336 yards and a TD in the opener against BYU in Las Vegas but then struggling against San Diego State and getting benched. He was 4 of 7 for 48 yards after replacing McCloud against UCLA.
*sigh* pic.twitter.com/EQ7GZQV5Rl
— AZ Desert Swarm (@AZDesertSwarm) October 11, 2021
Arizona, which has lost 17 in a row, takes a 4-game win streak at Folsom Field into Saturday’s trip to Boulder. The Wildcats’ last win, more than two years ago, came against Colorado on the road.