Cougars take their bumps, but injuries aren’t crippling
PULLMAN – The theme of this year’s Washington State spring football practices stands on the sidelines. Donning Cougar jackets, often huddled in a chattering mass – especially on days as rain-soaked as Tuesday – are the injured players unable to participate in that day’s practice.
On an injury report released by the WSU sports information department Tuesday, 19 players’ names were listed, and wide receiver Jason Hill, stricken by a flu bug that’s been going around the team, wasn’t even on it.
Consider that the official roster has but 94 names, and more than 20 percent of the team is hobbled in some way, shape or form.
“That’s part of it,” head coach Bill Doba said as his team passes the halfway mark of the spring sessions. “You’re going to have some nicks and bruises. This is when they learn the fundamentals. Usually the second half of spring is when those bumps hurt a little more – just trying to get through it, for some of them. It’s a necessary evil. You can do it now or you can do it in the preseason, and then you’re going into the first game all banged up. So we’ve got time, time to heal.”
And for the Cougs, the good news is just that: Not a single injury at this point is expected to last into fall practices, much less the season itself.
Furthermore, WSU is getting some players back. Freshman center Kenny Alfred is back in pads with his broken left hand clubbed, giving him the opportunity to again compete for a spot in the starting lineup. Middle linebacker Greg Trent is back on the field as well after being out with an ankle injury. And cornerback Tyron Brackenridge made a sooner-than-expected appearance Tuesday after a chronic hamstring injury took a toll once again.
Even if those players weren’t able to make it back onto the field, it’s not as if Doba and the Cougars would be thinking about folding up the tent this spring, anyway.
“So far it’s been a pretty good spring,” Doba said. “We’ve had a lot of enthusiasm and we have a long way to go, obviously.”
In the final two weeks of practice – the April 15 Crimson and Gray game is the last of 15 practices and scrimmages – Doba said he’d still like to find another cornerback and sort out some of the issues on the offensive line.
It’s becoming apparent, however, that some positional battles are destined to last into the fall. In particular, naming the starting corners is a near impossibility at this point with WSU expecting four newcomers to join the roster in the fall, all of whom could get a look for immediate playing time.
The Cougars have, it appears, settled on a No. 2 quarterback at least, with Gary Rogers continuing to impress the coaching staff. Doba also mentioned running back Dwight Tardy and defensive end Matt Mullenix as standouts in the first two weeks.
“Spring ball can be a little out of whack sometimes,” quarterbacks coach Timm Rosenbach said. “You go against each other so much it can get stale. But at the same time, they’ve just got to try and push themselves through it, and get better.”
Bright Spots
Brackenridge back early
Cornerback Tyron Brackenridge was supposed to miss another week – maybe even the rest of the spring – with a hamstring injury. His return to practice Tuesday gives WSU a lift at that position and gives the senior some much-needed practice time as he gears up for what should be the most interesting positional battle in fall camp.
Still a little hazy
Actually, more than hazy
Inclement weather shortened practice a bit on Tuesday, and the slick turf had receivers slipping left and right during pass drills. If the weather forecast holds, practices this week could look much the same as well, probably no great benefit to WSU.