What happened to Skyler Locklear? Latest injury update for UTEP's QB

UTEP Miners quarterback Skyler Locklear was defeated 14-10 by the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (3-4) on Tuesday. The Miners (1-7) were unable to build on their first win of the season and now have lost their starting quarterback to injury. Locklear suffered the injury near the end of the third quarter after taking a hard hit.

He was hit violently and bounced off his head on the ground. However, he was able to get up under his and walk to the sidelines with some assistance.

However, the severity of the injury is not yet clear. Locklear did not return to the game. Instead, JP Pickles played the rest of the game.

What happened to Skyler Locklear?

During the play, Locklear got injured while the Miners were setting up for a 2nd and 9th attempt on their 21-yard line. Locklear dropped back to receive the ball but faced pressure from both sides. He managed to evade the pressure by pushing through the middle of the pocket and targeted a receiver from his 15-yard line.

However, shortly after he threw the ball, he was hit hard by Louisiana Tech linebacker Zach Zimos.

The collision resulted in Locklear falling backward hard and landing on the back of his head and bouncing off the turf. The pass was completed for a 15-yard gain.

Zimos was removed from the game for targeting.

How will the Miners' offense be affected by Locklear's absence?

The injury has not been revealed, but Locklear will likely undergo concussion testing because of how his head hit the ground. In the meantime, the Miners will need to try to get their season back on track with JP Pickles as the starting quarterback.

Although Locklear did not have consistency this season, he was still the team's best quarterback. He had four games with over 100 passing yards and two with over 200. Backup Pickles has less experience as a freshman, and as a result, the offense will need to adjust to a quarterback learning on the fly.