UTEP Running Back Quardraiz Wadley Out for the Season With Toe Injury

Just as the dawn of football camp approaches, the UTEP football team received a massive blow to their offense with the news of senior tailback Quardraiz Wadley out for the season after suffering a season-ending toe injury.

The recovery window looks like four to six months for Wadley, who underwent this freak-injury in a regular football drill.

"They popped [my toe] back into place and I thought it wasn't going to be that big of a deal. After the MRI, it turned out much worse. With time, it will go back to normal.

"I'm going to hit [rehab] hard every day," Wadley said on 600 ESPN El Paso. "I know about my teammates. They voted me as captain. So I have to [come back] for them."

Wadley was expected to carry a significant load of the offense this season for the Miners as a top playmaking option. He came off a strong junior season, where he rushed for 627 yards on 5.1 yards per carry and chipped in with seven rushing touchdowns.

He's expected to use his redshirt this season and be back in time for next season.

“This is an unfortunate incident for our team and this young man during preparations for the 2019 season,” Dimel said in a release. “Quardraiz will head to California this week to receive medical attention from one of the best doctors in the country. He will be out for this coming season, but he will have the opportunity to redshirt and come back for his senior season in 2020.”

The Kennedale, Texas native has played in 26 games for the Miners since he arrived in 2016. Wadley has amassed 1,072 rushing yards and eight touchdowns for UTEP during his college career. He missed the majority of UTEP's 0-12 season in 2017 with injuries.

Wadley had been recently recognized as a preseason candidate for the Doak Walker Award, which is presented to the nation's top running back.

Now that the Miners need to look at life beyond Wadley for this season, look to both senior Treyvon Hughes and incoming freshman and hometown prospect Deion Hankins to shoulder the load at running back. Hughes performed at a high level last season, amassing 320 rushing yards in his first season at tailback, converting from linebacker. Hankins might have to grow into his role at the college level sooner than he might have expected. It will be a treat to see how El Paso's all-time leading rusher will translate his skills to UTEP.