Central Michigan QB, Competing with Jacob Sirmon, Shot at Party

The wounded Chippewas player is part of four-man position battle that includes the former Husky.

A quarterback in competition for the starting job at Central Michigan — which involves University of Washington transfer Jacob Sirmon — was shot in the chest early Saturday during a fight that broke out at an off-campus party in the college town of Mount Pleasant.

The Chippewas football player, John Keller, 20, of Canton, Ohio, was in serious but improving condition, officials said. No arrests had been made through the weekend.

The 6-foot-1, 203-pound Keller, who originally began his career at Cincinnati, is a walk-on quarterback who recently went through spring practice in a four-player competition.

Others involved are returning starter, Daniel Richardson, a 5-foot-10, 205-pound redshirt freshman from Miami; 6-foot-4, 210-pound freshman Tyler Pape from Spring Arbor, Michigan; and Sirmon, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound sophomore who served as the Husky back-up last fall.

Sirmon from Bothell, Washington, entered the transfer portal in January after it became clear he wasn't going to unseat Husky starter Dylan Morris. He has three seasons of eligibility he can use at Central Michigan if he chooses.

Richardson and Sirmon were expected to be the leading contenders for the starting job.

After walking on and not playing at Cincinnati, Keller transferred to Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Mississippi, and then sat out last season 

John Keller (16), shown at Cincinnati, was the Central Michigan shot and wounded.

USA TODAY Sports

According to the CMU student newspaper, CM Life, an investigation determined that several subjects arrived at a party, and shortly after, a fight broke out. Sheriff's department officials said in a release that someone went to a vehicle during the fight, retrieved a weapon and then started firing at the party.

Davies said in the university statement that "local law enforcement, led by the Isabella County Sheriff, continues to investigate the incident and is searching for the suspect or suspects involved."

Keller began his career at Cincinnati. He transferred to Pearl River Community College and sat out last season at Central Michigan.

A local television station, WOOD TV8, reported that Keller was shot in the chest. The CMU student newspaper said that following a fight someone went to a vehicle, retrieved a gun and began shooting. A GoFundMe account was created to help pay for Keller's medical expenses. 

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