Washington State’s Dylan Paine, Quinn Roff remain out, among other injury updates

PULLMAN – Whenever Washington State returns to full health, it won’t have come a day late.

The Cougars are still nursing a few injuries, including ones to cornerback Chau Smith-Wade (soft-tissue injury) and running back Nakia Watson (leg/ankle injury), both of whom remain day-to-day ahead of WSU’s home matchup with Stanford this weekend, head coach Jake Dickert said Wednesday. Those two will be evaluated on Saturday.

Smith-Wade missed last weekend’s game against Arizona State, prompting redshirt freshman Javan Robinson to take his place, which Dickert confirmed will happen again against Stanford. Watson went down late in the game with his injury, and if he’s unable to go, expect redshirt freshman Djouvensky Schlenbaker to step in.

“Javan and Cam (Lampkin) have been really steady and stable,” Dickert said. “(Robinson) has been working and waiting for his turn too, and he needs to keep proving himself as well.”

Walk-on running back Dylan Paine and edge Quinn Roff will miss their second straight game, Dickert said. Paine sustained a high-ankle sprain on Oct. 21 against Oregon. Ahead of that game, Roff encountered what Dickert called a “medical emergency,” leading to surgery afterward.

In Roff’s absence, WSU has leaned harder on edges like true freshman Isaac Terrell and junior Andrew Edson, especially as fellow edge Raam Stevenson remains out with an injury.

The Cougars are hoping for Paine and Roff to return for their Nov. 11 game at California, Dickert said. Roff is back in the weight room working out, as is Paine.

“Sometimes with those high ankles, you get a little stagnant period,” Dickert said, “but right now (Paine is) still climbing and right on pace.”