Red shirt sophomore Braxton Deaver underwent surgery for a fractured left patella. The tight end suffered his injury during a practice on Monday.

Deaver has been extraordinarily unlucky this calendar year. In January he went under the knife for a torn ACL. In June he underwent surgery for a fractured left thumb.

Deaver was supposed to replace Cooper Helfet as the starting tight end this season after recording eight catches and 107 yards in 12 games last year. Helfet was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seattle Seahawks.