This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
It is both sad and remarkable to think that the college careers of quarterbacks Taysom Hill of BYU and Chuckie Keeton of Utah State could end with their only full game together having produced a 6-3 outcome.
But it is possible.
Hill, a junior, will turn 25 prior to the 2015 season, so he may ready to enter the NFL after this year, especially if BYU goes unbeaten.
Keeton, a senior, may return to USU in 2015 if he misses the rest of this season and successfully pursues a redshirt ruling from the NCAA.
Add it up, and there's still a reasonable chance Hill and Keeton will meet in the 2015 regular-season finale on Thanksgiving weekend in Logan. If not, we all will have been cheated out of witnessing these QBs on the field together one more time.
Keeton will miss Friday night's game at LaVell Edwards Stadium, having reinjured his knee Sept. 13 against Wake Forest, and USU coach Matt Wells said this week that Keeton may be out for the season.
Regardless of what the score suggests in BYU's 6-3 victory in 2012 in Provo, it was a tense, intriguing game and both quarterbacks played decently. Their offenses just failed to convert yards into points. Hill, making his second start in relief of an injured Riley Nelson, had his freshman season end with a knee injury with about a minute remaining - although he finished the game.
Last October, Keeton was while scrambling in the first quarter of BYU's eventual 31-14 win and injured his knee, ending his junior season. Like Hill, who was injured almost exactly a year before, Keeton maintained a good attitude through the rehab process and was eager to play this season. But he just has not looked like himself, partly because of USU's struggles at other offensive positions.
So Keeton's career has some star-crossed elements, even if he led the Aggies to an 11-2 record in 2012. USU could have — or should have — beaten Wisconsin and BYU that season, but blew chances to win or tie those games with by missing field goals. And if Keeton misses the rest of this season, he will have started and finished only 27 of a possible 52 games in four years.
Keeton deserves better, for all he's meant to USU's program.
Hill, meanwhile, has responded well to his setback of two years ago. He's grown into BYU's quarterbacking job, becoming a better passer to complement his phenomenal running ability.
USU's defense will provide an interesting test, though. The Aggies were the only opponent that reined in Hill's running last season, when he netted 14 yards on nine carries in Logan - although he passed for 287 yards and three touchdowns.
So that aspect will be worth watching Friday, and so will the performance of USU sophomore quarterback Darell Garretson in his first start against a high-profile opponent — unless Northern Illinois in the Poinsettia Bowl fits that description.
Regardless, Keeton will be missed.
Twitter: @tribkurt