Quarterback Bryson Beirne has been patient his entire career as a Wildcat, waiting for the opportunity to showcase his skills under center.

With less than two weeks left before his last season kicks off, the fifth-year senior was finally set to cash in on that patience by backing up starter and close friend Nick Foles.

But thanks to a “freak accident” during a Fort Huachuca scrimmage last Saturday, Beirne and his newly sprained right ACL must yet again play the waiting game.

“I want to play against NAU, but we’ll see what happens with my knee,” said Beirne after Saturday’s team scrimmage. “Stuff like this you can’t really force, especially with the soft tissue. Whenever you hurt your knee, especially the ligaments inside of it, it takes time and you can’t control time. I’m hoping to come back in two to three weeks but if my knee’s not letting me go then I can’t come back.”

Beirne said he expects to return some time in the next “two to three weeks,” and will continue a rigorous rehab routine until that time comes. The Honolulu native said he’s strengthening his quad and regaining his range of motion as he waits for his brace to come in.

“Once that brace comes in, I think we’re going to start getting more nasty with the rehab, getting more in-depth with it,” Beirne said.

Although surgery will be avoided and he’s poised for a speedy recovery, Beirne’s injury couldn’t come at a worse time. Beirne’s a key cog in Arizona’s quarterback contingency plan — Matt Scott, a senior, hopes to redshirt and start under center next season.

If Beirne takes longer to heal than expected, the Wildcats will have to either lift Scott’s redshirt status and go with the proven dual threat quarterback, or test the raw freshman Daxx Garman.

Beirne’s injury certainly shuffled Arizona’s quarterback carousel at an inopportune time, but more than anything it’s further delayed an opportunity that the 6-foot-3, 235-pound quarterback has been patiently waiting for throughout the last five years.

Beirne continues to remain positive, however, working toward a speedy recovery and eventually thriving as Arizona’s backup signal caller.

“I never play the ‘Why me?’ game,” Beirne said. “Everything happens for a reason. If I can’t handle it then I shouldn’t be playing it right? I’ve never had that negative attitude.”