BYU senior quarterback James Lark will start for the Cougars in tonight's Poinsettia Bowl against San Diego State.
Lark and fellow senior quarterback Riley Nelson split practice reps leading up to the game, but BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall announced Lark as the starter. Nelson remains bothered by a rib injury, but is still available to play against San Diego State.
The Poinsettia Bowl will be Lark's second career start. He started BYU's regular season finale, throwing for 384 yards and six touchdowns against New Mexico State. Lark is lacking experience, having attempted just 83 passes during his BYU career. He will face a difficult challenge on Thursday, going up against San Diego State's unconventional 3-3-5 defense.
Lark getting the start in the Poinsettia Bowl ends a rough season for the Cougars quarterbacks. Nelson opened the season as a starter but battled injuries and ineffectiveness. Freshman Taysom Hill took over as the starter, but injured his knee and is out for the season.