Temple RB Jager Gardner out for the season with a broken ankle

The college career of Temple running back Jager Gardner has ended. The redshirt senior suffered a broken ankle Saturday night during a 15-13, American Athletic Conference loss at Cincinnati.

“His career is over, he broke his ankle and will have surgery, and our heart goes out to him,” Owls coach Rod Carey said during Monday’s AAC football teleconference. “He was playing the best football of his career and we really feel for him, and know that this is on everybody’s mind and hearts this week.”

Gardner rushed for 585 yards (4.1 avg.) and five touchdowns this season, posting career highs in both yards and touchdowns. Gardner also caught eight passes for 48 yards.

For his career, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Gardner rushed for 1,170 yards (4.2 avg.) and nine touchdowns, totaling 17 career receptions for 140 yards.

This season, Gardner and freshman Re’Mahn Davis have done the bulk of the ballcarrying for Temple. Davis has rushed for 795 yards (4.9 avg.) and six touchdowns.

Carey said that junior Tayvon Ruley, redshirt freshman Kyle Dobbins, redshirt junior Jonny Forrest and freshman Edward Saydee would be in competition to get some carries in Gardner’s absence.

Temple (7-4, 4-3 AAC) will conclude its regular season with Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. game at Lincoln Financial Field against UConn (2-9, 0-7). The Owls will be participating in a bowl game, with bids to be announced Dec. 8.

Carey also said Monday that cornerback Linwood Crump and receiver Randle Jones would be redshirting this year and have another season of eligibility.

Both are seniors, but each has played in four games while battling injuries. NCAA rules allow a player to compete in up to four games and still maintain a redshirt season.