Stanford senior quarterback K.J. Costello will not play Saturday against USC in the teams' Pac-12 opener, coach David Shaw announced late Thursday.
Costello left last week's 17-7 win against Northwestern just before halftime after taking a hit to the head.
Redshirt sophomore Davis Mills, who took over in that game, will start in Costello's place against the Trojans in Los Angeles. Mills was 7-for-14 for 81 yards in relief of Costello, a second-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2018.
After Thursday’s practice, @CoachDavidShaw announced that K.J. Costello has been ruled out for Saturday’s game. Davis Mills is expected to make his first career start against USC. #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/EVBcVih7n3
— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) September 6, 2019
Costello was finishing a slide against Northwestern when he took a forearm to the head from Earnest Brown, popping Costello's helmet off, but the play did not draw a targeting penalty.
Such a dangerous hit to the head of Stanford QB K.J. Costello. Somehow Northwestern's Earnest Brown was not ejected. pic.twitter.com/FWfD5YIfok
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) August 31, 2019
"I believe the officials on the field and replay officials missed the call," Shaw told reporters this week (via ESPN.com). "I thought it was an ejectable offense. I've communicated with a lot of different people in a lot of different places. It was unfortunate it was missed."
Costello's injury wasn't the only blow the Cardinal absorbed in the opener. Left tackle Walker Little, a first-team All-Pac-12 pick as a sophomore in 2018 who entered 2019 with All-America and Outland Trophy aspirations, suffered a dislocated knee that will sideline him at least a month, Shaw announced earlier in the week (via NBC Sports Bay Area).
Mills on Saturday will be making his first career start, while USC will start true freshman Kedon Slovis at quarterback after starter JT Daniels was lost for the season last week with a torn ACL and meniscus in a victory over Fresno State.
