Miami quarterback Ryan Williams, the leading candidate to start for the Hurricanes this fall, has a tear in his right ACL, according to a source.
Williams' injury occurred Friday night during a non-contact drill in the second scrimmage of the spring. The school announced Saturday that Williams will have surgery next week, but did not disclose the severity of the knee injury. There is no timetable for his return.
A source said Williams hopes to return, but it's "going to be tough."
Williams was evaluated on Saturday at the University of Miami Hospital, according to a release from the school.
Without Williams, the Canes will turn to redshirt freshman Kevin Olsen, who was working with the second team this spring, and third-string sophomore Gray Crow. True freshmen Brad Kaaya and Malik Rosier will join the team this summer. Kaaya, a four-star member of the ESPN 300, is rated the No. 5 pocket-passing quarterback in his recruiting class and No. 112 player overall.
Williams had distanced himself from the competition early, and had the most experience despite not starting a game for the Canes. He played in four games last year, mostly in relief of injured former starter Stephen Morris, who has since graduated.
Williams completed 68.8 percent of his passes (22 of 32) for 369 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. He played in five games in 2012 and sat out the 2011 season after transferring from Memphis, where he started 10 games as a true freshman.