FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas quarterback Ty Storey will not play in Saturday’s homecoming game against Tulsa.
The decision was reached on Thursday after Storey had not progressed far enough in his recovery from a head injury. ESPN Radio Arkansas first reported that Storey would not be available, and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette confirmed the news on Friday with a source with knowledge of the decision.
Arkansas Coach Chad Morris said on Wednesday that Storey had been cleared to practice and that he anticipated the junior making his fifth consecutive start. However he left the door open by saying Storey was still day to day.
Storey’s absence, after he took a series of hard shots in last week’s 37-33 loss to Ole Miss, will mean true freshman Connor Noland and redshirt sophomore Cole Kelley are likely to split game time at quarterback against the Golden Hurricane. Noland was seen taking first-team reps as media members left at the end of the viewing period on Wednesday.
Storey took a helmet-to-helmet shot that led to a targeting ejection, then a big blow to the ribs on back-to-back plays in the second quarter last week while helping the Razorbacks to a 27-10 lead. He left the game for good after being upended at the end of a 10-yard run and hitting his helmet off the turf early in the fourth quarter.
Storey slumped back to the ground after trying to get up and was on the field for a couple of minutes. Team personnel would not allow Storey to have his helmet after coming out in the fourth quarter, despite Storey’s protests.