Nov 04, 2014 10:12 AM EST By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Connor Halliday's college football career was ended prematurely Saturday after the Washington State quarterback suffered a broken knee.

According to the Associated Press, Washington State Cougars head football coach Mike Leach publicly disclosed the injury Monday. He said he does not know when Halliday will be discharged from the hospital or when he will be able to play football again.

Though the Cougars dropped to 2-7 on the season, Halliday was having a terrific senior season, throwing for 3,873 yards and 32 touchdowns while completing 67 percent of his passes.

"He's very key to this team and was on a pace to break national records," Leach told the AP. "He means a lot to this team."

In the first quarter of Saturday's game against USC, Halliday completed a pass to Vince Mayle for 14 yards. On the other side of the ball USC defensive tackle Leonard Williams fell on Halliday's lower half as the QB tried to escape the pass rush. Halliday was visibly in physical agony afterward.

"We said we were going to pray for him," USC linebacker Hayes Pullard told reporters after the game.

Leach said Halliday underwent surgery Saturday and has been regularly seeing visitors since. Luke Falk stepped in at QB and threw for 370 yards, though it was in a losing

effort. Falk is a freshman who earned a scholarship after walking on to the team.

"A lot of guys would like to throw for 370 yards in their debut," Leach said. "He stepped up there without flinching and moved the team well... better than anyone would have expected."

Halliday's 11,304 career passing yards are the most in school history and the fourth-most all-time in the Pac-12 and his 90 touchdowns were third-most in conference history.

Last year, quarterbacks Zach Mettenberger and Aaron Murray suffered torn ACLs late in their senior seasons and wound up being drafted to the NFL. It remains to be seen what a broken knee means for Halliday's potential pro career as his health is his primary concern.

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