Sources: BYU’s Zac Seljaas breaks foot, will likely miss beginning of regular season

BYU’s depth was already getting thin thanks to the nine-game suspension of Yoeli Childs, and it appears that the Cougars took another hit in Italy.

A source close to the program confirmed to Vanquish The Foe that senior forward Zac Seljaas broke his foot during BYU’s Tuesday game in Italy. The break was confirmed by an X-ray following the contest. The injury will require surgery and is expected to hold the senior sharpshooter out of action for 10-12 weeks.

If that timeline holds true, Seljaas could be available to return to basketball activities sometime roughly between the season opener on November 5 against Cal State Fullerton and the Utah game on December 4 — albeit likely with quite a bit of rust to shake off.

Without Childs and Seljaas, BYU will begin the season with only eight available scholarship players, barring the NCAA granting unlikely waivers to transfers Richard Harward, Wyatt Lowell or Alex Barcello. Pope said at an August 9 press conference that they are still waiting to hear back from the NCAA on waiver requests for Harward and Lowell; Barcello told BYU SportsNation last week that he submitted a waiver request and is awaiting a response.

Seljaas is primarily a small forward with the option to slide up and play some minutes at the power forward spot if BYU decides to go small, which they’ll be forced to do a lot without Yoeli Childs. Without Childs and the UVU transfers, the Cougars only remaining frontcourt players are Gavin Baxter, Kolby Lee and Dalton Nixon.

Here is how BYU’s roster stacks up now:

Scholarship players:

• TJ Haws
• Jake Toolson
• Dalton Nixon
• Jesse Wade
• Gavin Baxter
• Kolby Lee
• Trevin Knell
• Connor Harding
• Yoeli Childs (suspended)
• Zac Seljaas (injured)
• Richard Harward (redshirt)
• Wyatt Lowell (redshirt)
• Alex Barcello (redshirt)

Walk-ons:

• Blaze Nield
• Colby Leifson
• Evan Troy
• Taylor Maughan
• Camerson Pearson