Gunner Kiel Reportedly Will Miss Hawaii Bowl Due to Personal Matter

As the Cincinnati Bearcats prepare for their Christmas Eve game against San Diego State in the Hawaii Bowl, quarterback Gunner Kiel will not be with the team.   

Per Tom Groeschen of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Bearcats head coach Tommy Tuberville said Thursday that Kiel is "dealing with a personal matter" and will not travel with the team to Hawaii. 

Groeschen added Cincinnati will start Hayden Moore at quarterback vs. San Diego State, and Kiel is still a part of the team, though Tuberville is "unsure" when Kiel will return.

In Groeschen's full story on Cincinnati.com, he noted Kiel has been away from the team during practices all week. The specifics of his absence aren't known, but a university source told Groeschen it "is not a legal or disciplinary matter..."

Kiel, who is a fourth-year junior, has been the Bearcats starting quarterback for the past two seasons. He completed a career-high 65.2 percent of his passes in 2015 for 2,777 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 10 games. 

Moore had a successful three-game stint as Cincinnati's quarterback when Kiel got hurt early in a Sept. 24 game against Memphis. The freshman threw for 1,055 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions as the starter. 

Kiel's college career began with a lot of hype, as he was the top-ranked pro-style quarterback coming out of high school by 247Sports and originally committed to Notre Dame. He transferred to Cincinnati in 2013, sitting out a season due to NCAA rules before becoming the team's starting quarterback. 

The Bearcats have won 16 games combined over the past two seasons, making bowl appearances both years with Kiel leading the offense.

Kiel's natural ability gives Cincinnati tremendous offensive capability, though Moore's performance in limited action this season proves the Bearcats can thrive in the Hawaii on Dec. 24.